Snobbin: Beautiful Trash in the Pop Culture Gutter

David Bruckner's  The Ritual builds suspense through the familiar narrative trope of difficult friendships and decisions but takes its protagonist to unexpected places that rework many folk horror tropes, such as the outsider coming to unfamiliar areas and finding horrific occult practices and villagers that are compelled to commit them. The premise which could be a feel good buddy comedy turns horrific quickly, and the legacy of the characters comes into question. Add in a really interesting folk horror monster with antlers, hoofs, and human-like body parts, and you have all the ingredients for an interesting genre excursion. 

I've been taking long walks most of my life. I have many reasons: to clear my mind, to enjoy the outdoors, to exercise. Ah, who am I kidding, it is mostly to clear my mind and think. I like to walk for hours and take different routes each time, exploring each city and town I have lived in and taking stock of my surroundings. I want to explore each nook and cranny of the town because I am never sure what I will see or hear. It's exploratory surgery of the soul and feels akin to listening to a favorite old record that you have heard a thousand times but are always prepared to appreciate in a new way. Maybe you hear a wonky note or a backing vocal that you never noticed before. Or a fuzz box, drum fill, or exotic key change that never resonated. Discovering where the trails are is as important to me as finding a new back alley path or steps to nowhere that invariably lead to a private yard. These moments of discovery make my walks worthwhile. I sometimes take trails tha...

Hiking the trails at Matthiessen State Park. Beautiful waterfalls, lakes, trees, abound. I've been to Starved Rock State Park several times, and I can't believe I missed this. The caves and the architectural detail throughout the park are not to be missed.