New Bloggy Update 1/4/26

Monkey wishes everyone a Happy 2026!

We made it.

Nothing about 2025 was easy. That’s not to say that good times didn’t happen, but to be honest, it was a rough one. I’m cautiously optimistic for 2026.

Much to my surprise, I’ve already booked two events and have applications in for two others! I promised myself that I was going to stick with fewer ones going into ’26, but I’m excited for these so I’m rolling with it. (lol) The first one is coming up quite soon – Saturday, January 17 – at what is being called The Adult Book Fair @ Vinegar Hill Mall in Springfield. From what I can tell, no, it’s not THAT kind of Adult event. Just one that’s not geared toward the under 18 crowd (so, likely, no kids books). If it turns out to be ‘something else’, I’ll let you know! 🙂

The second one, another new one to me, is an author fair at the Champaign Public Library on Saturday, January 31. I’ve never done one in Champaign (that I can recall), so I’m especially excited for this opportunity.

I’ve also been doing some reviews for Candace Nola, the owner of the site, Uncomfortably Dark. For clarification, no author has asked me to review their work (with two exceptions). I review books that I, personally, am interested in and believe would be a good fit for her readers (horror/thriller). If you’d like to check out the reviews, you can find them on my About Me page on my blog (under book reviews). The links should be active.

I’ve also been mentally preparing to start a first draft of a new novel. With NaNoWriMo out of the picture these days, I’ll have to choose a month and just hunker down and do it. Initially, I was hoping to start THIS month, but honestly, I’m not in the right mindset quite yet. February is looking good…stay tuned.

So, what the heck have we been watching?

Together (2025) – Years into their relationship, Tim and Millie find themselves at a crossroads when they move to the countryside, abandoning all that is familiar in their lives except each other. With tensions already flaring, a nightmarish encounter with a mysterious, unnatural force threatens to corrupt their lives, their love, and their flesh. (Google) I wasn’t totally sure what to expect with this one. I had heard that it featured body horror, kind of along the lines of The Substance, the Demi Moore hit from a year or so back. I can safely say that there is a similarity between these two films, although this one felt more horror-ish and did have the occasional jump scare. Generally speaking though, I felt this one lacked, uh…substance? Can I do that? (lol) I came away with a 6.2, but Charlie liked it better and gave it a 7.2.

Gazer (2024) – A young mother with brain disorder struggles to perceive time. She takes a risky job from a mysterious woman to support her family, unaware of the dark consequences that await. (Google) A retro-feeling noir-styled movie that feels like a hallucinogenic dream. Not great. Not bad. Kind of forgettable. I gave it a 6.8 for a good attempt, but Charlie wasn’t on board and gave it a 4.2.

Marooned (1969) – American astronauts Buzz (Gene Hackman), Jim (Richard Crenna) and Clayton (James Franciscus) are stranded in space on their return journey from a new space station when malfunctioning rocket boosters bring the craft to a halt. With the men drifting in orbit, facing death from declining oxygen levels in the shuttle, NASA director Charles Keith (Gregory Peck) quickly mobilizes to launch a bold rescue mission — but a hurricane headed for the launch site may ensure the astronauts’ demise. (Google) A who’s who of late 60’s/early 70s stars provide a glorious ride into some good ol’ vintage sci-fi vibes. If you don’t mind special effects from times past, a heavy-handed acting job by most of the stars, and a whirlwind of ‘life in the late 60s’, you’ll dig this. I sure did. Rated it a 7.5, but Charlie was poo-pooing at 6.4. ( 🙂 )

Him (2025) – Cameron Cade is a rising quarterback who suffers a potentially career-ending injury after being attacked by an unhinged fan. Just when all seems lost, Cam receives a lifeline when his hero, Isaiah White, offers to train him at an isolated compound. However, as the training accelerates, Isaiah’s charisma turns into something darker, sending Cam down a disorienting rabbit hole that may cost him more than he ever bargained for. ( Google) I did have different expectations going into this one, as I saw Jordan Peele’s name attached and figured it would slide right into the horror genre. Not quite. Yes, it’s dark. Yes, there are horrific moments. But, is this horror? I vote no. It’s “advertised” as horror/drama, but I personally think it leans more into dark drama with some nasty visuals than wedging itself into the horror genre. The reviews (30% Rotten Tomatoes and 38% from Metacritic) aren’t doing this film any favors. My take? It was marketed all wrong. I gave it a 6.2 and Charlie was totally down at 9.6.

Bugonia (2025) – Two conspiracy-obsessed men kidnap the CEO of a major company when they become convinced that she’s an alien who wants to destroy Earth. (Google) Wow. No spoilers – but wow. It’s incredibly dark, serious, intense, and driven. Excellent on every single level. Run, do not walk, to see this one, especially if you are a fan of science fiction. (which I’m not…so that should be a huge indicator that this movie is REALLY something!) I gave it a 9.4 and Charlie gave it a 10.

Okay, that’s probably more than enough. LOL.

Happy New Year and may 2026 behave itself.