1997 - PG-13 - 9/10 - Leo’s Big Boat Adventure.

Let’s get this out of the way: James Cameron knows how to make a big-budget crowd pleaser. It is easy to see why this is one of the biggest movies of all time. The movie is about 3 hours long and the ship hits the iceberg right at halfway through. That gives you two movies: the first half is a competently written and shot movie of a crowd-pleasing love story. The second half is a harrowing spectacle that brings the tragedy and horror of The Titanic to life. If you only know this movie from the memes, fix that!

1985 - PG - 10/10 - One boy’s quest to get his bike back.

Considered a classic by most Millenials, this movie holds up as an ode to the name calling, oversized sliverware, and scary Large Marge moments of childhood. The character of Pee-wee is not an adult but is a 5-year old boy’s idea of the coolest adult: cool bike, can go to the magic shop alone, has a house full of toys and wacky devices… Once you see the movie through those eyes, the story of this rebel loner’s cross-country quest to get his bike back feels like the biggest adventure a kid could imagine.

2020 - R - 8/10 - Oddity’s bigger, badder brother.

This movie is built on a premise that would ruin it if it wasn’t the title and spoiled in the trailer. The main character agrees to a task that has a caveat that no sane person would agree to BUT once you grant the movie that one thing, the rest of the character’s actions are believable as we descend into a nightmare. Tense, frightening, and filled with foreshadowing as the director pays off every inch of the unique setting of the film. Whiile Oddity felt claustrophobic, this movie builds throughout, adding layers as it goes.

2024 - R - 9/10 - Yeah… this one was… yup.

This is a movie about relationships that exist in an almost unspoken way. One where both men say a lot but neither man says much verbally about their relationship as they communicate through the shared experience of the journey. Without commenting on whether or not they have a healthy relationship, it feels very true-to-life. The movie explores the pros and cons of each character’s outlook. While it is very understated, this is a movie that forces you to think about how you approach the world and why.

This is our newsletter so I am going to allow us to nerd out for a minute. Late last year, Joe and I were lucky enough to catch Rhys Darby’s stand up at Helium in St. Louis. After the set, there was no time for a meet and greet but Rhys hung around for just a minute shaking hands. As Joe cut through the tables, he caught Rhys just before he retreated to the green room. Joe gave Rhys a Thrills Ville shirt said a few things and walked away with a huge smile.

Now, fast forward 3 months to the other day when, to our surprise, Joe caught a glimpse of something on a recent episode of Rhys’s podcast The Cryptid Factor. Rhys was sporting the Thrills Ville shirt! Our little logo made it all the way to New Zealand and probably caused more than one or two people watching Cryptid Factor to go “huh, wonder what that shirt is?” Joking aside, it was really cool to see the shirt make an appearance. But enough about that, let’s talk cryptids!

So, if you don’t know what a cryptid is, from Wikipedia:

Cryptids are animals or other beings that cryptozoologists believe may exist somewhere in the wild, but whose present existence is disputed or unsubstantiated by science.

A cryptozoologist is, basically, someone who searches for or studies cryptids. The Cryptid Factor is a podcast they describe as “Three best buddies dedicated to all things weird that are yet to be defined by science.” Basically, it is three pleasant kiwis talking about whatever and being pleasant. You shoud really do yourself a favor and check it out. They started in 2013, so there is plenty of backlog to chew on if are looking for something new to listen to for several hours a week!

Back in our part of the globe, if you don’t know, the Piasa Bird is a famous local cryptid. Originally discovered as a Native American painting on the bluffs outside of Alton, Illinois, the Piasa Bird is a legendary dragon that patrolled the Mississippi. If you haven’t, head to the Great River Road and behold the restored painting on the bluffs. 

Speaking of cryptids, did you know that Thrills Ville has a wide selection of cryptid merch? And not just Bigfoot-related. Stop on by for all your “not yet confirmed by science” merch needs or maybe just a Thrills Ville shirt to match your new favorite podcaster!

Joe got older! To celebrate, we threw a party at the store complete with snacks, balloons, and a band!

Thanks to Low Water Mark for Ghosts rocking the store and all those who came out throughout the day to celebrate! If you missed it, don’t worry, we are already scheming on another appearance for the band in the coming months.

Checkout a live performance video for Low Water Mark for Ghosts’s single Collision Course filmed during the party and edited by our friend Byron from Hotson Media on our YouTube channel!