FILM 1983: FIRST REFORMED

FILM 1983: FIRST REFORMED 

TRIVIA: This is the first movie in which Cedric the Entertainer is credited under his real name, Cedric Kyles.

Filming for the interior and exterior of the church was done at the Zion Episcopal Church in Douglaston, Queens.

Unusually shot in 4:3 ratio. Paul Schrader was inspired to shoot this way by Pawel Pawlikowski's Ida (2013) as he liked the way it framed the human body. Schrader also liked the sense of claustrophobia that the framing suggests.

Paul Schrader considered Jake Gyllenhaal and Oscar Isaac for the lead role but opted for Ethan Hawke instead. He's ten years older and had an innate air of world-weariness that was appropriate for the role.

FILM 1715: MY SCIENTOLOGY MOVIE

TRIVIA: Louis Theroux's first feature film.

Off-camera, Paz took the Crew to a séance trying to contact Janis Joplin, who died in the same Motel.

Xenu is never mentioned.

FILM 1620: THE WITCH

TRIVIA: According to cinematographer Jarin Blaschke, the film was shot mostly with available and natural light.

The premise is based on America's first witch hysteria in colonial New England, set 62 years before the infamous "Salem Witch Trials" which occurred in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

There were more scenes planned to involve Black Phillip, but because he wasn't as well trained as planned, the ideas had to be scratched.

Most of the film's dialogue and story were based on writings from the time.

Although the film's plot was intended to be taken literally, director Robert Eggers has spoken about a few small hints he and the filmmakers left throughout the film that one might interpret as reasoning behind the events, beyond the obvious supernatural. For example, the rot on the corn is ergot - a hallucinogenic fungus.

The Satanic Temple has endorsed this movie and hosted several screenings of the film. Their spokesperson, Jex Blackmore, addressed the film as "an impressive presentation of Satanic insight that will inform contemporary discussion of religious experience."

The film takes place in 1630.

FILM 1547: MIDNIGHT SPECIAL

TRIVIA: Jeff Nichols wrote the film as a reflection on becoming a father.

Jeff Nichols' fourth film to feature Michael Shannon.

At a point in the movie, Jaeden Lieberher asks "What is Kryptonite?". His father in this film is played by Michael Shannon who recently played General Zod in "Man Of Steel".

One of the government code words Adam Driver's character mentions is "red saber." Driver is well known for portraying the red lightsaber-wielding Kylo Ren in Star Wars Episode VII.

FILM 1392: Z FOR ZACHARIAH

TRIVIA: Although set in the Midwestern United States of America, the film was shot entirely in New Zealand's Banks Peninsula. The two areas share a similar geography.

Tobey Maguire was originally cast as the lead role.

After leaving the filming wrap party in Methven, New Zealand, Chris Pine was pulled over by police and charged with drunk driving. He pleaded guilty and was disqualified from driving for six months and ordered to pay $93 in reparation. He was let off a fine after making a sizable donation to charity.

BOOK 139: SUPERSENSE: FROM SUPERSTITION TO RELIGION - THE BRAIN SCIENCE OF BELIEF: BRUCE HOOD

Why is it that Tony Blair always wore the same pair of shoes when answering Prime Minister's Questions? That John McEnroe notoriously refused to step on the white lines of a tennis court between points? And that President-elect Barack Obama played a game of basketball the morning of his victory in the Iowa primary, and continued the tradition the day of every following primary? Superstitious habits are common. Do you ever cross your fingers, knock on wood, avoid walking under ladders, or step around black cats? Sentimental value often supersedes material worth. If someone offered to replace your childhood teddy bear or wedding ring with a brand new, exact replica, would you do it? How about £20 for trying on a jumper owned by Fred West? Where do such feelings come from and why do most of us have them? Humans are born with brains designed to make sense of the world and that need for an explanation can lead to beliefs that go beyond reason. To be true they would have to be supernatural. With scientific education we learn that such beliefs are irrational but at an intuitive level they can be resistant to reason or lie dormant in otherwise sensible adults. It now seems unlikely that any effort to get rid of supernatural beliefs or superstitious behaviours will be completely successful. This is not all bad news – such beliefs are a useful glue that binds us together as a society. Combining brilliant insight with witty example Hood weaves a page-turning account of our ‘supersense’ that navigates a path through brain science, child development, popular culture, mental illness and the paranormal. After reading SuperSense, you will realize why you are not as reasonable as you might like to think – and why that might be no bad thing.

MY VERDICT: I, as someone really interested in studying superstition, was looking forward to reading this book. Unfortunately I was disappointed. Bruce Hood has a couple of interesting insights but it is obvious that there wasn't quite enough to fill the book and it is a laborious read and very repetitive.