G?

You are exactly right. Even when things ease up, I suspect that is strategic so that the resistance will settle down.

It’s beautiful. It’s on point for the source material. It’s about so much more than men and monsters.

* Frankenstein - Not sure I can articulate how perfect this movie was for me. You take a story that’s near and dear to my heart, you add in one of my favorite directors that has talked about his love of this story for decades, and then you throw in great actors.

* Weapons - The marketing for this movie was genius. You’re left with a ton of mystery. When the story is finally revealed, the simplicity let some folks down. Not me. I cheered at the end. Need I say more?

* The Monkey - Another King entry. Anther Osgood Perkins study in parenting and familial subjects. This one is incredibly over the top in all the best ways. Horror and comedy make great partners, especially when human mortality is front and center.

* The Long Walk - One of the first Stephen King stories I ever read. The movie held way more nostalgia than I expected. The very timely, and maybe timeless, social commentary didn’t hurt.

* Longlegs - Late 2024 release. Osgood Perkins is a master of weaving incredibly dark themed mysteries with parent child symbolism. A good horror movie leaves you “horrified” for days after viewing. This movie’s quality reminded me that horror could be great with the right recipe of talent.

* (IT) Welcome to Derry - I’ve lived in Stephen King’s literary universe since I was 14 years old. The peripheral bits have rattled around in my imagination for a long time. I never imagined other talented creatives would someday be allowed to flesh out the various background stories.

2025’s horror entertainment kept calling me back to my younger self, stories I loved back then now in cinematic format. Many of the entries below I hadn’t thought about for decades.

I don’t like resolutions. If any of you have book recommendations, I’ll take them. If any of you need some of my time in the coming year, reach out.

Love, Joy, and Peace to each of you

Disappointments: No reason to mention the obvious political subjects.
I wanted to love more books. I tried. Few kept my attention.
I also wanted to draw, create more.

Poetry also captured my attention in a way that had been absent for a few years.

My love of horror movies resurfaced in 2025. There were a lot of great, quality movies and shows released this year in the genre.

More than anything, compared to 2024, I’ve felt healthier. It’s been easier to get to the gym, easier to make better dietary choices, and most recently, it’s been easier to focus on mental health. I felt younger this year and more comfortable (maybe even a little proud) in my body.

My doctor says I’m allowed to have dark chocolate. Their price is amazing and it’s the best I’ve found.