Category Archives: Reviews
A review of the novel COLD SKIN, by Albert Sánchez Piñol
David Oakes (Friend) catches a first glimpse of what’s to be his Antarctic island home for a year in the 2018 film, COLD SKIN.
I first learned of Cold Skin when Dark Discussions watched and reviewed the 2018 film last November. When the film was released, most reviewers went on about how it was a “twist” on The Shape of Water. If they’d bothered to look a little deeper, they would’ve realized that it was based on a book of the same title by Albert Sánchez Piñol—and it was published in 2002.
Cold Skin is an Read the rest of this entry
DARK DISCUSSIONS doubles down on Shudder’s exclusive THE RANGER
Dark Discussions shares its thoughts on what it thought of Shudder’s exclusive The Ranger—and then got a chance to interview Jeremy Holm (The Ranger) himself! You can listen to both episodes on Stitcher and ITunes, and at the following links:
The Ranger: Review http://www.darkdiscussions.com/Pages/podcast_389.html
The Ranger: Interview with Jeremy Holm http://www.darkdiscussions.com/Pages/podcast_390.html
DARK DISCUSSIONS enjoys ONCE UPON A TIME … at the annual Mystic Meetup!
Dark Discussions’ fourth annual Meetup in Mystic, Connecticut was a huge success! The DD crew and our friends from The Dorkening enjoyed a couple of meals and a flick, in this case, Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood.
The DARK DISCUSSIONS and DORKENING crews sport our meetup T-shirts–courtesy of DD’s Mike–pre-movie at the Waterford Regal 9. In case you’re wondering, we’re standing in front of the POP for 47 METERS DOWN: UNCAGED.
Want to know what we thought about Tarantino’s latest Read the rest of this entry
Peele’s film US gets released today!
A family is terrorized by strange beings in Jordan Peele’s latest film, US.
Jordan Peele’s latest psychological thriller, Us—about a family terrorized by strange beings—gets released today on Blu-Ray, DVD, and 4K. It is also available to rent on VOD. You can pick up the hard copy here on Amazon here, or rent the VOD on Amazon here.
Hear what we have to say about Jordan Peele’s film US on DARK DISCUSSIONS. Photo collage by Philip Perron.
Dark Discussions covered and reviewed this film shortly after it came out. After you see the film (if spoilers bother you, then definitely wait until you’ve seen it before listening to the episode), you can hear what we said about it on Stitcher, Itunes, and here: http://www.darkdiscussions.com/Pages/podcast_378.html
Personally, I loved Get Out, but I thought Us was even better. I’m hoping to see more films from Peele. I love his sensibility and layering, and I have to be honest—Us had moments that scared the crap out of me. If you’re looking for a disturbing thriller with depth, this should fill the bill. Enjoy!
HELLNOTES calls THE SHADOWS BEHIND “incredibly smart writing”
Hellnotes, a major reviewer of horror fiction, film, and art, has reviewed my latest short story collection, The Shadows Behind, and given it a rave! Reviewer Elaine Pascale has written: “The stories within tell of lingering loss via imaginative and incredibly smart writing. Schoonover writes of grief and regret that follows like a shadow, and the stories in this collection will remain like a shadow for some time after you finish reading…the writing is intelligent and the themes transcend genre. Add this book to your summer reading list.”
I am SO EXCITED about this! You can read the full review here: https://hellnotes.com/the-shadows-behind-book-review/
You can get your copy of The Shadows Behind here: http://bit.ly/shadowsbehind. Or, if you want a signed copy, reach out to me through my Contact Page or in the comments and I’ll get in touch with you about making arrangements.
A trip through time: The Bronx Zoo’s DINOSAUR SAFARI
I think this is hilarious. We’re being chased by a Tyrannosaurus and we look like we’re on a cruise.
I’m going to keep this as spoiler-free as possible, because nothing ruins an adventure like knowing every damn little thing about it beforehand (it’s really not an adventure if that’s the case). However, I’m going to include a couple of my favorite photos and share some details, so if you’re planning on visiting the Bronx Zoo’s Dinosaur Safari this summer and want to stay completely in the dark, I’d advise skipping the rest of this post (except scroll down to “A word on buying tickets.” That stuff you’ll want to know). Read the rest of this entry
Join the DARK DISCUSSIONS crew in Mystic, CT, July 26 – 28!
The crew and fans of the DARK DISCUSSIONS podcast get ready to see THE MEG at the Regal Cinemas Waterford 9 in Waterford, CT at our annual meet-up in August of 2018. From left: co-host Abe, listener Kevin, listener Leo Pond (also host of THE DORKENING podcast), co-host Eric, co-host Phil, me, listener Pam and co-host Mike.
Wanna watch a movie and attend a taping of Dark Discussions? Now’s your chance! Read the rest of this entry
DARK DISCUSSIONS pays tribute to George Romero
Montage by Philip Perron
Dark Discussions pays tribute to George Romero in the wake of his passing. We discuss his life, his work, and the controversies that sometimes surrounded him, and some of our thoughts might surprise you! You can listen in on Stitcher, iTunes, and here: http://www.darkdiscussions.com/Pages/podcast_297.html
Volcano, by Yvonne Weekes
I couldn’t put this down. Beautifully written and wrought with an overwhelming sadness, Weekes’ memoir about Soufriere Hills, a dormant volcano on the Caribbean island of Montserrat which roared to life in 1995, packs much into few pages.
If you’re looking for Read the rest of this entry
VISIT SUNNY CHERNOBYL: Vivid, entertaining, witty
Visit Sunny Chernobyl, by Andrew Blackwell/320 pages/Rodale Books, 2013
Visit Sunny Chernobyl isn’t what I expected. This vividly-written, highly entertaining, and occasionally witty narrative is not a rant about the dirtiest places in our world and how we’ve destroyed (or are destroying) our environment, but rather an exploration of the dirtiest places of our world and what it’s like to be there, live there, and breathe there. This isn’t a book that passes judgment; this is a book that lets you see things through Blackwell’s eyes and make up your own mind.
For those of us who like to armchair travel, Read the rest of this entry
