FOLLOWING FILMS

In We Tell Ourselves Stories , Alissa Wilkinson offers a penetrating and original exploration of Joan Didion’s complex entanglement with Hollywood and the broader machinery of American myth-making. Rather than providing a conventional biography, Wilkinson presents a focused, critical study that repositions Didion as a central figure in the cultural feedback loop between literature, film, and national identity. Through this lens, the book invites readers to reconsider Didion not just as a literary stylist but as a cultural theorist deeply engaged with the stories that define American life. Wilkinson, drawing on her experience as a film critic and scholar, investigates how Didion's proximity to Hollywood—both geographic and professional—shaped her worldview and narrative technique. Didion’s relationship with Hollywood was not just one of professional involvement but of profound symbolic significance. Early in life, she was drawn to the American mythos epitomized by figures like John ...

THE WOMAN IN THE YARD  lingers in the space between psychological drama and supernatural horror, weaving a tale that is as much about the fragile human psyche as it is about eerie apparitions. Running a lean 87 minutes, Jaume Collet-Serra’s film teams a tight directorial focus with Danielle Deadwyler’s committed lead performance to deliver an experience that feels both intimate and unnerving. Ramona (Danielle Deadwyler) is a young widow reckoning with the aftermath of a terrible car accident that claimed her husband’s life and left her physically scarred. She and her two children, preteen Taylor and spirited Annie, have relocated to a remote farmhouse. Their isolation, intended as a balm for trauma, instead becomes the stage for a chilling encounter: a tall, silent woman in a flowing black dress who stands day after day in their front yard, motionless and unblinking. At first, the family presumes she’s just an odd local who’s lost her way. But as the woman edges ever closer—sometim...

Today’s episode of the Following Films Podcast is something really special — I had the chance to sit down with Renn Hawkey, a musician and producer you probably know from his work with Deadsy. But this time, we’re talking about something brand new: The Yagas, a deeply personal project that blends music, myth, and mood in powerful ways. Their debut album, Midnight Minuet, was just released — and it’s haunting, cinematic, and full of depth. Even more compelling, the band is fronted by none other than Vera Farmiga. Yes, that Vera Farmiga — acclaimed actress and now the spellbinding voice at the center of The Yagas. Her vocals bring a hypnotic, otherworldly energy to the entire record. In our conversation, Renn opens up about the creative process behind Midnight Minuet, collaborating with Vera, and how this project channels folklore, emotion, and atmosphere into something truly unforgettable. So whether you’re already listening to the album or just curious about this unexpected musical jou...

Today I’m joined by a filmmaker whose new film is both a gritty Boston drama and a deeply personal debut. Eric Aronson is a Boston-based writer and director with over 22 years of experience as a Hollywood screenwriter. He’s written for major studios like Warner Bros., Disney, Miramax, and Lionsgate, and collaborated with creative forces like Sacha Baron Cohen. Now, with his directorial debut Any Day Now, Aronson brings a raw, heartfelt story to the screen — and back home to Boston. The film stars Boston native Paul Guilfoyle, best known for CSI, L.A. Confidential, and Spotlight. He plays Marty Lyons, a streetwise hustler who pulls a drifting young night watchman — played by Taylor Gray — into a murky world of misfits, regret, and second chances. Featuring an outstanding cast including Alexandra Templer, Thomas Kee, and Armando Rivera, Any Day Now is a love letter to the city and a story about finding meaning when everything feels lost. The film will be available on digital platforms Ma...

By the time Jason X rocketed onto screens in 2001, the Friday the 13th franchise had already taken audiences through psychic battles, Manhattan alleyways, and hell itself. So where else could it go? Naturally, the answer was space. While that premise sounded like a joke to many at the time, over two decades later, Jason X has become a minor cult classic—remembered not for reinventing the franchise, but for boldly embracing absurdity and delivering pure, unapologetic entertainment. The film begins in the near future. Jason Voorhees—once again captured by the government—is being held in a high-security research facility. After yet another attempt to contain or destroy him fails, he and scientist Rowan (Lexa Doig) are cryogenically frozen. Fast forward 445 years: Earth is an uninhabitable wasteland, and a group of students and researchers aboard a spaceship discover the frozen pair. They bring both back onboard their vessel, the Grendel, where Jason inevitably thaws out and resumes hi...

When Jason Goes to Hell premiered in 1993, it was met with confusion, frustration, and in some cases, outright rejection. Fans expecting a straightforward slasher with Jason Voorhees stalking teenagers at Camp Crystal Lake instead got a body-hopping supernatural thriller filled with mystical lore, FBI stings, demonic parasites, and magical daggers. At the time, the disappointment was understandable. But in the years since, the film has aged curiously well. Removed from the shock of not being a “real Jason movie,” it’s become easier to meet the film where it stands and judge it on its own offbeat merits. The film opens with what might be the most surprising and action-packed scene in the entire Friday the 13th franchise: Jason is lured into a trap by the FBI and blown to bits in a hail of gunfire and explosives. It’s outrageous and self-aware, sending a clear message that this is going to be a very different kind of Friday the 13th film. What follows is an ambitious genre mashup. Jason’...