Two Drinks In: Strange Darling

Two Drinks In: Strange Darling

In a world where no means yes, in a reality where boundaries are pushed to their very limits, trust becomes the only truth. But how do you trust someone not to go too far, especially when you were the one that pushed them there? The thought runs through his mind as she stalks him from room to room. Exhausted, injured, he turns the corner to find her already there, waiting. Her smile, filled with lust, with longing. And something more. Disturbed, he wonders how far she is going to push this? The thought terrifies him as she raises both of her hands, closing them around his neck. Our newest season, Styles of Horror, celebrates the very best of this oft-overlooked genre. And in our second episode, we discuss Strange Darling, a 2023 film whose non-linear storytelling subverts expectations throughout, delivering one of the best thrillers in recent memory. Helping Neil and Trevor discuss the film, and every film of this season, is a guest: University Professor and Chilliwack Film Festival Chief Moderator Darren Blakeborough will be here throughout, acting as the guys’ Sherpa into the world of the undead and the damned. Listen as the trio unpack this unique take on the serial killer genre, dive deep into this beautifully shot movie, and discuss the issues of consent, gender, and expectation when watching horror. We discuss all of this and more while drinking a ‘Strange Darling,’ a Sour Puss forward cocktail as sweet and seductive as the Lady herself, and an ‘Electric Lady,’ a vivid, bright drink that is as eccentric like a hippie doomsday breakfast.

Two Drinks In: Train To Busan

The first thing he noticed was how they came at him. With such rage. An unbridled hatred, unrelenting and total. With gnashing teeth and flailing limbs, this ravenous wall of humanity chased him to an empty room. A vacant office. This is where he would make his stand. But before he could even arm himself, he felt it; the warm blood oozing down his back. A bite mark. He had to laugh. In moments, he would be one of them. Join the ranks of the frenzied masses. Suddenly overcome with fatigue, he goes to lie down on the floor. Before he can even make it there, his mind goes blank. Arms twitching, he screams. Our newest season, Styles of Horror, celebrates the very best of this oft-overlooked genre. And to kick things off, we discuss Train to Busan, a 2016 Korean zombie film known as much for its social commentary as its slick visuals and compelling characters. Helping Neil and Trevor discuss the film, and every film of this season, is a guest: University Professor and Chilliwack Film Festival Chief Moderator Darren Blakeborough will be here throughout, acting as the guys’ Sherpa into the world of the undead and the damned. Listen as Darren, a man who teaches a class called ‘Zombies on the Brain: Pop Culture & The Living Dead,’ summarizes the history of zombie movies and explains their significance. And hear him tell us why stories about the undead are timeless. We discuss all of this and more while drinking a ‘Hibiscus Highball,’ a soju-based cocktail so smooth it helped the guys find their courage and become muscle-clad baby daddys, and a ‘Zombie,’ a staple of tiki bars the world over and a drink so on the nose that Trevor felt the need to dump all over it.

Reel Accuracy: Animation & Graphic Novels

This is Reel Accuracy. An opportunity to hear from experts as they discuss their work, describe their passion, and most importantly, help us break down films. For our next episode of Reel Accuracy, we talk to Pierre-Alexandre Comtois. Pierre is a veteran of the animation industry who has lent his talent as a story artist to Disney, Warner Bros and Netflix, working on projects such as The Addams Family, Sonic Prime, and the Peanuts specials, to name a few. Pierre is also the creator, author and illustrator of the graphic novel series Sunder, the story of a young monk named Zeek who embarks on a quest to return a mysterious book to its rightful owner. Navigating danger, uncertainty and peril, not to mention some absolutely frightening villains, Sunder is beautifully illustrated, expertly paced, and a wonderful homage to Luke, Bilbo, and all the other scrappy underdogs of the universe. Listen as Pierre takes us through how he got his start in animation, the experience of working for studios big and small, how he kept coming back to comics, and what it was like to create a world and tell a story capturing the true spirit of adventure. And in perhaps his greatest feat to date, Pierre will lend his insight to help us examine The Book of Eli. This oft-overlooked 2010 post-apocalyptic flick features stunning visuals, slick action scenes, and Denzel Washington and Gary Oldman facing off in expertly understated performances. We discuss all of this and more while sampling two drinks: a ‘Badger Special Brew,’ crisp beergarita that gave Trevor the confidence to pronounce Pierre’s full name, and ‘Valencia’s Apothecary,’ a gin-based citrus concoction inspired by Sunder.

Reel Accuracy: A Writers Journey

This is Reel Accuracy. An opportunity to hear from experts as they discuss their work, describe their passion, and most importantly, help us break down films. For our next episode of Reel Accuracy we talk to Natalie Virginia Lang, author of the book ‘Remnants: Reveries of a Mountain Dweller.’ With vivid detail and striking prose, Natalie provides readers a glimpse into her experience growing up on Sumas Mountain in British Columbia, her encounters and connection with the land around her, and the changes she has observed to the environment. Truly a love letter to BC, this book will leave you with a renewed appreciation for the wild. Listen as Natalie takes us through her inspiration for writing the book, discusses the process of getting her work published, and talks about how she held on to hope despite the year that was 2021 (that of the pandemic, heat dome, wildfire trifecta). And in perhaps her greatest feat to date, Natalie will lend her insight to help us examine Rosemary’s Baby. This 1968 classic, based on the 1967 novel of the same name, features an ambitious husband trying to do right by his family with the help of some truly altruistic neighbors (spoiler alert: it does not). Not content with dissecting Mia Farrow’s undeniably scene stealing performance, Natalie and the guys discuss the novel as well, a book that the trio agrees was chalk full of tension, dripping with foreboding, and whose leading lady was far ahead of her time. We discuss all of this and more while sampling two drinks: ‘Rosemary’s Baby,’ a herbal gin and fruit based cocktail that had Neil reaching for the Tannis Root, and ‘Roman’s Vodka Blush,’ a sweet beverage that gave us so much in return.