Obsession

broderic on July 31, 2026

I saw Obsession with my mom. She said she wanted to watch a scary movie and Obsession was the only one I hadn’t seen that was playing. It was in its third week and it still was being played. It is going very, very strong at the box office. Anyhow, my mom wasn’t scared by it, but I was scarred.

Obsession is a very disturbing movie. I don’t want to dwell on it because that could be me. I’ve thought to myself, “they never fall in love with me,” and “if only.” Selfish thoughts when it comes to romance. Never love.

It was frightening because that could be me. I guess that why it is a horror film.

I’m writing this several weeks after seeing the movie. I was obsessed with it for weeks after because of its horrifying. I guess it is an obssession.

3 of 5 stars.

Backrooms

broderic on July 31, 2026

At the end of Backrooms as we were leaving, the couple in front of me turned to me and shrugged — a shrug that said, “What the fuck did we just watch?” It was a horror film — a bit scary, a bit shocking, and a ton of unreal.

Absurd? Surreal? Sure. Unnerving? No Unsettling? Yes.

It’s the backrooms. A place you don’t want to find yourself.

It’s just freaky thing. I was perplexed but enjoyed myself. At least for the most part I wasn’t hiding behind the brim of my cap.

3 of 5 stars.

When I first heard… “Stakes is High”… I was…

broderic on July 2, 2026

It’s 30 years since they released this album. It is my favorite De La. While I don’t remember where I was hearing “Stakes is High” for the first time, I know that I listened to it all that summer. It was the summer before turning 25 — my popular time. It was the time when I had my green Jetta and a ten disc CD changer in the trunk. It was also the time when I was a drunk, fun loving person.

I think the most vivid memory for me from listening to the album at the time is when Lacy invited me to meet up with her friends in Little Italy for a late, late dinner. We had just closed Ruby Tuesday. She said let’s go. While not really into her except for her being female, I went. Driving into Baltimore and it was “Itsowezee” bumping on the radio after midnight. Who the fuck were her friends but just other servers just like us…

Disclosure Day

broderic on July 2, 2026

Steven Spielberg came up with the story of Disclosure Day, perhaps, after watching an X-Files episode. He needed to tell this tale to save humanity from itself. The underlying message is that we are all along for the ride so why don’t we act better towards each other. Yes. Agreed. I doubt you’ll get through to the audience. Okay, boomer…

I guess it’s alright. It’s been a while since I have seen a Spielberg film. I haven’t seen his last few films. So I was ready for seeing the master at the twilight of his career. Does he still have it in him?

I am not going to doubt Spielberg, but the film was a bit cliched. The two factions of a shadow government group who want to keep alien contact secret. One faction has decided to expose it all. The other trying to stop it at all costs. Caught between are two people who were abducted as youths and who were imbued with the power to communicate with the aliens. They were being recruited by the faction who want to expose it.

It could’ve been better.

3 of 5 stars.

Salmoretta

broderic on June 20, 2026

The other day I was thinking about Spain and it got me to think about my favorite paella. I was wanting to cook it again, but didn’t know what kind. I don’t have rabbit so the traditional Paella de Valencia is out of the question. Maybe I’ll just cook up rice in a paella pan and throw whatever in it?

So I went looking for recipes and suggestions when I stumbled upon salmoretta. It’s a traditional sofrito found in the Alicante region used for all types of rice dishes and soups. Knowing the area, I wanted to try it out.

It has five basic ingredients: tomato, olive oil, garlic, parsley, and ñoya peppers. Ñoya pepper is a regional pepper found in Alicante. I bought some dried online.

Everything pretty much goes into the pot until the tomatoes are broken down. Then you blend.

I put some in a mason jar and some I froze for later.

I have yet to make the paella!

The Sheep Detectives

broderic on June 14, 2026

The Sheep Detectives is worth a watch, because who doesn’t love talking animals? It felt like that classic film, Babe 2: Pig in the City.

I went to watch because I read that it was Knives Out with sheep. Yup.

Charming.

3 of 5 stars.

The Devil Wears Prada 2

broderic on June 14, 2026

The Devil Wears Prada 2 doesn’t have any of the charm as its predecessor. It wanted to say something about the present, because it dealt with media, both the dying mainstream magazine and the social media. Yet, it didn’t make any sense.

The main character was still Anne Hathaway except now she was no longer the young naive assistant. She was a writer laid off from a small print magazine who was hired to help conduct PR for Meryl Streep’s editor. Emily Blunt was the head of a fashion house. But why was she here? Beyond the need to see her, she wasn’t really needed.

The movie was a trifling thing. Why did I want to go watch it?

2 of 5 stars.

Hokum

broderic on June 14, 2026

When I went to purchase tickets to Hokum online, there was no one watching on a Friday afternoon. I wondered if I should watch a scary movie alone in the darkened theater. I figured that I would be alright and went on to purchase the ticket. Obviously. When I arrived, there was one other viewer in the theater. She was an older lady who would have a seat in the row in front of me. Did you know this movie was about a witch? I did and speculated that maybe I might be watching alone with one in the theater. I have an active imagination.

Anyhow, I barely saw any of it as I was quite frightened for much of the run time. I was filled with dread. It has been a while since I felt like this in the theater. I miss it.

4 of 5 stars.