Following Films Podcast: Mika Boorem on HOLLYWOOD.CON, John Carpenter, Tucson, and Calling In Favors to Make an Indie Film

Mika Boorem is an actress, screenwriter, and director. She is best known for her work in THE PATRIOT, ALONG CAME A SPIDER, BLUE CRUSH, and the often overlooked John Carpenter gem THE WARD.

I had Mika on the show to discuss her latest film Hollywood.con, that she directed, wrote, and stars in. We also talk about her hometown and my current residence Tucson AZ, our shared love of John Carpenter, and the importance of asking for favors when you are making an independent film.

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Big thanks to Bookmans for sponsoring the show and to Fort Worth for letting us use the song at the end.

Enjoy the show!

MULHOLLAND DRIVE Ending Explained

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Final Destination Bloodlines Set to Bring Fresh Horrors to the Franchise

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4K Blu-ray Review: Drop (2025) — A Tense, Tech-Driven Thriller That Mostly Sticks the Landing

In Drop, director Christopher Landon (Freaky, Happy Death Day) crafts a nerve-wracking thriller centered on a devastating dilemma: would you take a life to save the ones you love? The story follows Violet, a widowed single mom attempting to re-enter the dating world after years of grief and recovery. Played with emotional precision by Meghann Fahy, Violet finds herself on a promising first date with the affable and seemingly genuine Henry (Brandon Sklenar) in an elegant, glass-walled Chicago restaurant. But their evening takes a sinister turn when Violet receives a disturbing message via a sleek, anonymous app called DigiDrop: if she doesn’t kill her date before the check arrives, her son and sister will die. What unfolds is a tightly wound 95-minute thriller that feels both classic and timely. The film builds its suspense through confinement, not action. Most of the story unfolds in real-time at their dinner table, creating a pressure-cooker environment that reflects Violet’s psycholo...

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