Holly Lyn Walrath's Blog: Stories, page 4

Announcing the Acquisition of BURY MY HEART UNDER THE MARTIAN SKY by Juan Manuel Pérez

AnnouncementMexican Indigenous Futurism in Haiku Form

once they were the gods

now they’re hunted by a God

a few became less

Interstellar Flight Press is delighted to announce the acquisition of a new book of Mexican indigenous futurist poems from Juan Manuel Pérez, BURY MY HEART UNDER THE MARTIAN SKY.

From the perpetual war between dogs and cats to the enduring tensions between humans and mermaloids; from the folly of man’s play with the occult, nature, and deep space to the reimagined Indigenous pas...

THE CREATOR Props Up Hyper-Optimism with Gorgeous Visuals: But Does It Succeed?

Film, Fantastic FestGareth Edwards’ New SF Flick May Leave a Bad Taste in the Mouth of Those Worried about AIImages Courtesy Disney+

Less than a day ago, META debuted its chat AI, bringing AI to social media in an entirely new way. The database “books3” used to train AI recently had its list of books revealed, leading to loaded discussions online about AI and plagiarism. US funding for AI hit 3.3 billion in 2022 alone. These are just a few of the news items surrounding the controversial topic of ...

South Korean Film SLEEP Weaves Sleep Disorders, Magic, & Marriage in Heartfelt Love Story

Film, Fantastic FestDebut from Jason Yu Explores Horrors of Sleepwalking

As someone with sleep paralysis, I’m fascinated (and justifiably creeped) by horror about sleepwalking. What most films don’t capture is how easily lulled those around you are by the phenomenon. Most of the time, it barely impacts them. But for the few who have a terrifying story of sleepwalking gone wrong, it can haunt your life forever.

Jason Yu, South Korean director of Sleep— wanted to explore just that. “Everyone has a m...

SALTBURN Drips Sexuality and Intrigue

Film, Fantastic FestBarry Keoghan, Rosamund Pike Devastate in this Dark Masterpiece of DesireImages Courtesy Amazon Studios

Premiering as one of the secret screenings at Fantastic Fest, Saltburn, directed by Emerald Fennel, a former actress who draws on her private school upbringing in England in this salacious miasma of a film.

Set at Oxford, Saltburn sets up Oliver Quick (Barry Keoghan) as the mousy, shy schoolboy who becomes entranced by the wealthy and charismatic Felix Catton (Jacob Elordi). ...

Anne Hathaway Shines in EILEEN: A Story of Unrequited Love

Film, Fantastic FestStuck in Massachusetts in the 1960sImages Courtesy NEON

“I looked like a girl you’d expect to see on a city bus, reading some clothbound book from the library about plants or geography, perhaps wearing a net over my light brown hair. You might take me for a nursing student or a typist, note the nervous hands, a foot tapping, bitten lip. I looked like nothing special. It’s easy for me to imaging this girl, young and mousy version of me, carrying an enormous leather purse or eat...

STRANGE DARLING Flips Script on Serial Killer Movies

Film, Fantastic FestJT Mollner’s Second Feature Film Explores the Gender Dynamics of MurderStrange Darling, Image Courtesy JT Mollner

The description for the Strange Darling screening at Fantastic Fest was just one line: “One day in the twisted love life of a serial killer.” So, of course, I had to see it.

What followed is a twisty, turny take on the cat-and-mouse thriller trope that is lusciously shot and seductive to the end. In one of the best performances I’ve seen since Pearl, Willa Fitzgeral...

Dark Poetry Abounds in WHERE THE DEVIL ROAMS

Film, Fantastic FestSet at a Carnival in the Great Depression, the Latest from the Adams Family Is a Rotten RiotImages courtesy Yellow Veil Pictures

If you’re not familiar with the Adams Family, they are made up of mother and father John Adams and Toby Poser, and their two daughters, Lulu and Zelda Adams — and they make horror movies. Together, the family not only acts in but writes, directs, produces, and sound designs movies. The films are self-funded, allowing the family team to make all the m...

The Toxic Avenger Reboots “Toxic” Hero

Film, Fantastic FestThe Toxic Avenger Premieres at Fantastic Fest Starring Peter Dinklage, Kevin Bacon, and Elijah WoodImages Courtesy

The word “toxic” has two connotations. One is in terms of toxic waste — an all-too-familiar reality of today’s world struggling with climate change. The other is the idea of something that is psychologically “toxic” — a toxic relationship, a toxic workplace, a toxic culture.

The 2023 reboot of The Toxic Avenger, directed by Macon Blair, explores the line between th...

Fantastic Femmes at Fantastic Fest

FILM, FANTASTIC FESTThe Best Scifi, Fantasy, and Horror Movies Featuring Women’s Stories

Interstellar Flight Magazine is back at Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas this week bringing you coverage of the best films hitting the screens soon. Chock full of world premieres, celebrity appearances, five short film blocks, live podcast recordings, horror drag shows, secret screenings, and over 90 feature films, this year’s lineup is looking lit.

This year, I’m highlighting the films from the festival featur...

Book Launch for THE LONG FALL UP by William Ledbetter

NewsletterJoin Us November 6, 2023 via Zoom to Celebrate the Publication of THE LONG FALL UP, a Collection of Award Winning Short Stories

“William Ledbetter’s stories exists at the crossroads between hard and soft: they’re full of hard space, hard choices, and hard lives, but also the soft hearts of the people who work there, make them, and live them. Bill can do more in two pages than some authors do in twenty; he’ll make you love a sweater, fear for a ship, and more. So whatever your preference...