Author Archives: williamjcobb

“Verity” Laughable Stinker

Posted on November 14, 2026 by williamjcobb

They don’t make thrillers like they used to, or we remember the likes of Basic Instinct (1992) and Fatal Attraction (1987) more fondly than they deserve. Case in point: Recent release Verity, starring Dakota Johnson and Anne Hathaway, a thriller flirting with the category of So-Bad-It’s-Good. Continue reading →

Posted in "Basic Instinct", "Fatal Attraction", "The Big Lebowski", "Verity" film, Colleen Hoover novels, Erotic Thrillers, Satire, So-Bad-It's-Good Movies | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

“Wild Horse Nine” and the King of Cameos

Posted on November 10, 2026 by williamjcobb

“Wild Horse Nine” has many similarities to “In Bruges”: A pair of misfits (in this case, CIA agents) travel to a scenic landscape (Rapa Nui, the island otherwise known as Easter Island) to do some sightseeing and possibly kill some people. Continue reading →

Posted in "Wild Horse Nine" film, Martin McDonagh's films, Tom Waits' films | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Hats Off to Texas Hope

Posted on November 4, 2026 by williamjcobb

To all the Dems who got elected: I hope you do a good job, and make us proud. Continue reading →

Posted in Big Bend National Park, Texas Politics, Texas stories, The Hunting Wives TV series, The West | Tagged , | Leave a comment

“Digger” Rocks!

Posted on October 21, 2026 by williamjcobb

Action-adventure superstar Tom Cruise makes a smart, funny film and it’s proclaimed one of the biggest flops of the year? Perhaps the critics can’t take a joke. Digger is filled with them. Continue reading →

Posted in "Birdman" film, "Digger" film, "Silo" Apple TV Series, A.I. Apocalypse, Annihilation, Armageddon, books/film, Climate Change, Dr. Strangelove" film, Movie satires, Tom Cruise | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

“Reality Experiment” Like “Backrooms”

Posted on October 17, 2026 by williamjcobb

As in Backrooms, the altered world of The Reality Experiment takes a sinister turn. Once they change realities they can’t get back to their original selves. Continue reading →

Posted in "Backrooms" film, A.I. Apocalypse, British films, Horror Comedies, Horror Films, Implausible movies, New movie releases, Thrillers | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Rocky Mountain Fall Glory

Posted on October 13, 2026 by williamjcobb

My home in the Sangre de Cristo mountains of southern Colorado has been gorgeous of late. Continue reading →

Posted in Colorado, Rocky Mountain Fall Color Photos, The West | Tagged , | Leave a comment

“Nuclear War: A Scenario”: TV Series “Silo” Not Far-Fetched

Posted on October 3, 2026 by williamjcobb

Nuclear War: A Scenario may be the scariest book I’ve ever read. Continue reading →

Posted in "Silo" Apple TV Series, A.I. Apocalypse, Annie Jacobsen's "Nuclear War: A Scenario", Annihilation, Armageddon, Disaster movies, Horror Films, Nuclear War, Weird Science | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

“Mysteries of the National Parks”: A Geographical Hoot

Posted on September 28, 2026 by williamjcobb

I have to hand it to Mike Bezemek, whoever he is. (Full disclosure: I know nothing about the guy.) It’s not so much about the mysteries of national parks as more of a humorous glimpse into one man’s odd obsessions that somehow, often tangentially at best, relate to national parks. Continue reading →

Posted in Kooky books, Mike Bezemek's "Mysteries of the National Parks", The West, Wildlife, writing, Yasunari Kawabata's "The Lake", Yellowstone National Park backcountry trips, Yellowstone wildlife | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Lost in the Great Utah Flood

Posted on September 24, 2026 by williamjcobb

The El Nino we’re now experiencing seems to have thrown a monkey wrench in the weather gears.  Continue reading →

Posted in Climate Change, Human Prehistory, San Juan River kayaking, The West, Weird Weather | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Seinfeld Scoop: Elaine’s Grouchy Dad Modeled on Novelist Richard Yates

Posted on September 15, 2026 by williamjcobb

I can’t post about the genius of Richard Yates fiction without recognizing that he is immortalized in a Seinfeld episode: “The Jacket,” Season 2, Episode 3. Continue reading →

Posted in Richard Yates fiction, Seinfeld trivia | Tagged | Leave a comment