Author Archives: williamjcobb

Neo-Medieval Charms of “Silo” 

Silo has become quite timely: While the plotlines involving the present-day Silo people are taking place roughly four centuries in the future, there’s now a plotline that appears to be set in roughly present-day contemporary times: In the series we are at war with Iran. Continue reading →

Posted in "Silo" Apple TV Series, Post-Apocalyptic Movies/Series, Prestige TV | Tagged | Leave a comment

“Nightborn” Review: Fun Finnish Horror

Something dark and sinister lurks in the Finnish forests. Continue reading →

Posted in "Nightborn" film, books/film, Cult classic films, Finnish horror films, Folktale Films, Horror Films, Horror Movies | Tagged | Leave a comment

“The End of Oak Street”: Jurassic Park Meets Poltergeist

It’s like Jurassic Park meets Poltergeist. Continue reading →

Posted in "The End of Oak Street" film, books/film, Cryptozoology, Disaster movies, Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

Yellowstone Backpacking Trip Report 2026

In 2024 we kayaked Yellowstone Lake, in 2025 Shoshone Lake, and for 2026 we backpacked to Heart Lake. This year was extra special: our 25th wedding anniversary. Continue reading →

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Cul-De-Sac Anguish: On Netflix’s “The Last House”

I’ll try to avoid spoilers here but will add that when we finished watching it, we both said, “Wow. I’m surprised we finished that movie.” As in: I’m surprised we didn’t stop watching and go do something more entertaining, like poking each other with a sharp stick. Continue reading →

Posted in "Alone" TV Reality Series, "The Last House" film, Implausible movies, Yellowstone National Park backcountry trips | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Ultimate Kayaking Yellowstone Lake Trip Report

An easy rule of thumb: Try to reach your campsite by noon or so: Thunderstorms often pop up later in the day, which can make the paddling difficult. Continue reading →

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Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” as Summer Movie Event

The place was packed. A group behind us were wearing togas (that looked like bed sheets “repurposed”). Excitement in the air! Continue reading →

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Techno-Fear in “Backrooms” and “Obsession”

The best summer hits capture the nation’s zeitgeist, so in this way maybe Backrooms is this summer’s Jaws (1975), or better yet, Alien (1979). It’s a snapshot of what we fear. Continue reading →

Posted in "Backrooms" film, "Obsession" film, A.I. Apocalypse, A.S.I. (Artificial Super Intelligence), Horror Films, Horror Movies, Scifi Movies | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Disastrous French Surrender in 1940 Explained: On William Shirer’s “Collapse of the Third Republic”

Shirer describes the tumultuous 1930s, including the riots of 1934 that weakened the French government (The Third Republic), from an eyewitness standpoint. He was there in Paris when many of the riots occurred. Continue reading →

Posted in Nazi Germany, Vichy France, William Shirer, World War II histories | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Glory of Yellowstone on 4th of July

So one of my favorite places in the U.S. and the world is Yellowstone. While Old Faithful and the geyser basins accessible by car are all fine and dandy, the real charm of our greatest National Park is its backcountry. … Continue reading →

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