I’m behind in my October horror viewing this year, but here’s what I have. Alice Sweet Alice was back in August, but I’m including it!
Comfort Movies
I hesitate to call most of these “comfort movies,” but these are movies I will put on in the bacikground mostlybecause I’ve seen them so many times.
- Back to the Future (1985)
- Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979) I’ll often keep watching the series – they’re more connected than their Next Generation counterparts.
- Zodiac (2007)
- Alien (1979) again, I’ll often watch a lot this series (even with its highs and lows)
- Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
Cooking with Congress
Fun fact… when I was in the second grade, I became obsessed with the U.S. Presidents. I had books, a puzzle, memorized facts… you name it. My teacher would hold challenges for who could memorize all 40 (at that time) presidents, and I won! It came down to me and someone who would actually end up working in the government for governors, senators, and the like.
So that’s why I think I’ve been super into this YouTube show, Cookin’ with Congress. Not only does the show feature meals eaten by congresspeople from each district, but it has also expanded to include First Ladies, congressional district constituents, and, most importantly, Presidents. Anyway, check out Big Steve’s meals in the latest video.
Scenes from an Italian… dinner
I had a friend over for dinner and made a bunch of food from scratch, and 100% vegan. All of the recipes are linked below. I didn’t take a single picture.
- Summer strawberry salad with feta
- I used Violife vegan feta
- Homemade Focaccia
- With tomatoes, jalapenos, and oregano from the garden
- I used freshly grated Violife vegan Parmesan cheese
- Nana’s tomato sauce
- I subbed pork and regular sausage for Beyond hot and mild Italian sausage
- I grabbed fresh oregano from the garden and added bay leaf
- 3-ingredient vegan pasta
- This was good overall, but softer than standard pasta – I may try using the leftover dough for dumplings
- Vegan banana chocolate chip cookies
- I had to sub banana for apple sauce (turned out I only had cherry apple sauce)
I’d probably tweak a few things here and there, but I was happy overall!
Wings of Desire vs City of Angels
I first saw Wings of Desire in a college film course and have seen it a few times since. City of Angels was a loose Americanized remake made around the same time. I’m not someone who is generally angered by remakes, but I think this one so missed the mark that it got to me a bit at the time.
Despite decades of awareness of the U2 song from the movie (with a music video based in the same world), I have yet to see the sequel, Faraway, So Close!
This video by Nerdwriter does a great job of comparing the strengths and weaknesses. If you’ve never seen the Wim Wenders original, I encourage you to seek it out! Watch almost any other Nic Cage movie.
Music videos inspired by Wings of Desire:
Trailer:
Movie Retrospective
I’ve previously written about AI and what uses I do and don’t like. Here’s one I do like… gathering info about posts I’ve written in the past. I thought I’d see what movies I’ve referenced over the last few years.
| Movie Title | Year | Director(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Abigail | 2024 | Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett |
| Attack the Block | 2011 | Joe Cornish |
| Barbarian | 2022 | Zach Cregger |
| Billy Elliot | 2000 | Stephen Daldry |
| Bit | 2019 | Brad Michael Elmore |
| Body Bags | 1993 | John Carpenter, Tobe Hooper |
| Brassed Off | 1996 | Mark Herman |
| Bride of Chucky | 1998 | Ronny Yu |
| Child’s Play | 1988 | Tom Holland |
| Child’s Play 2 | 1990 | John Lafia |
| Child’s Play 3 | 1991 | Jack Bender |
| Chopping Mall | 1986 | Jim Wynorski |
| Dark Star | 1974 | John Carpenter |
| Dune (1984) | 1984 | David Lynch |
| Dune (2021) | 2021 | Denis Villeneuve |
| Fright Night | 2011 | Craig Gillespie |
| Fresh | 2022 | Mimi Cave |
| Freaky | 2020 | Christopher Landon |
| Halloween II | 1981 | Rick Rosenthal |
| Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II | 1987 | Bruce Pittman |
| Hereditary | 2018 | Ari Aster |
| It Follows | 2014 | David Robert Mitchell |
| Late Night with the Devil | 2023 | Cameron Cairnes, Colin Cairnes |
| Lisa Frankenstein | 2024 | Zelda Williams |
| Love and Monsters | 2020 | Michael Matthews |
| Malignant | 2021 | James Wan |
| Martin | 1977 | George A. Romero |
| No Time to Die | 2021 | Cary Joji Fukunaga |
| Nosferatu (Robert Eggers, upcoming) | (2024/2025) | Robert Eggers |
| Parasite | 2019 | Bong Joon-ho |
| Phantasm | 1979 | Don Coscarelli |
| Possession (1981) | 1981 | Andrzej Żuławski |
| Pride | 2014 | Matthew Warchus |
| Prom Night | 1980 | Paul Lynch |
| Seed of Chucky | 2004 | Don Mancini |
| Shadow in the Cloud | 2020 | Roseanne Liang |
| Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings | 2021 | Destin Daniel Cretton |
| Sleepaway Camp II | 1988 | Michael A. Simpson |
| Sleepaway Camp III | 1989 | Michael A. Simpson |
| Slither | 2006 | James Gunn |
| Talk to Me | 2022 | Danny Philippou, Michael Philippou |
| The Babadook | 2014 | Jennifer Kent |
| The First Omen | 2024 | Arkasha Stevenson |
| The Forever Purge | 2021 | Everardo Gout |
| The Funhouse | 1981 | Tobe Hooper |
| The Lighthouse | 2019 | Robert Eggers |
| The Northman | 2022 | Robert Eggers |
| The Omen | 1976 | Richard Donner |
| The Omen III | 1981 | Graham Baker |
| The Omen IV (TV Movie) | 1991 | Jorge Montesi, Dominique Othenin-Girard |
| They/Them | 2022 | John Logan |
| A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy’s Revenge | 1985 | Jack Sholder |
How John Lennon Wrote “A Day in the Life”
2001: A Music Video Odyssey
AI: Artificial Intelligence
Can I be honest? I don’t love a lot of AI. It’s obvious to me when it’s used for creating things like event posters, clickbait images, “Hollywood-destroying films,” etc. I’m concerned about it being used for faking images of real people and destroying creativity. There is a place for it to be used… in information gathering (as long as you check for accuracy) and things like special effects in movies (in limited applications). I thought I’d run a little experiment and have a few AI tools write a bio for me. The featured image was also generated with Canva’s AI using the prompt “create an image of a normal looking tired caucasian man in his mid 40s with full shaggy brown hair, beard, blue eyes, plaid flannel shirt, very slightly chubby.”
ChatGPT:
Stephen Quirk is a writer, entrepreneur, and creative thinker based in Maine. With a background spanning technology, design, and storytelling, he brings a unique perspective to his work, whether crafting compelling narratives or building innovative projects. Passionate about problem-solving and continuous improvement, Stephen applies his skills across various disciplines, always seeking ways to refine ideas and create meaningful experiences.
When he’s not working, he enjoys exploring Maine’s coastline and discovering new ways to bring creativity into everyday life. You can learn more about his work at stephenquirk.com.
Perplexity.ai:
Stephen Quirk is a multifaceted professional based in Maine, known for his contributions to the arts, technology, and community development. He is the founder of Factory Portland, a platform initially established in 2010 to support Maine’s music scene by offering services such as album design, website creation, and photography. Over time, Factory Portland evolved into a blog featuring interviews with musicians and concert reviews124.
Stephen holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography from the Maine College of Art and spent a semester abroad at the Burren College of Art in Ireland12. His work in photography has been published in various outlets, including GQ.com and the Portland Press Herald2.
Professionally, Stephen has worked as an Events Wrangler at Automattic, Inc., the company behind WordPress.com, from 2014 to 201812. He has also been involved with Parka LLC, contributing to content production and project management2.
Currently, Stephen serves as the Director of Operations at Reconnect, Inc., a company focused on providing technology solutions for community supervision programs5. His role leverages his background in technology and creativity to support innovative community-focused initiatives.
Stephen resides in Maine, maintaining a strong connection to his local community through his work and personal projects16.
Citations:
- https://stephenquirk.com/about/
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-quirk-a5a70152
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenquirk
- https://factoryportland.com/about/
- https://reconnect.io/about-us/
- https://quirk.blog/about/
- https://quirk.blog/tag/maine/
- https://rocketreach.co/stephen-quirk-email_8788292
Google Gemini:
Stephen Quirk is a multifaceted individual residing in Maine, with a background that spans technology and the arts. A graduate of the Maine College of Art, he has significantly contributed to the local music scene through the establishment of Factory Portland, offering services ranging from album packaging to website development. His expertise extends to the tech realm, having worked in the Technology Department at his alma mater and later as an Events Wrangler at Automattic, Inc., the company behind WordPress.com. His creative endeavors also encompass explorations of gender identity. Currently, he resides in Maine.
Microsoft Copilot:
Stephen Quirk, a creative force from Maine, has made significant contributions to the arts and technology. He holds a degree from the Maine College of Art and has a diverse background that includes founding a nonprofit, managing a music blog, working in arts and education, and organizing events at Automattic. Stephen is also the creator of Factory Portland, a platform that showcases Maine’s underground music scene and artists. His passion for creativity and innovation continues to inspire those around him.
WordPress.com
Stephen Quirk is a dynamic writer, entrepreneur, and creative thinker based in Maine. With a diverse background that encompasses technology, design, and storytelling, he infuses a unique perspective into all his endeavors. Stephen is passionate about problem-solving and continuous improvement, constantly seeking innovative ways to refine ideas and create meaningful experiences.
He is the founder of Factory Portland, a platform that initially started in 2010 to support Maine’s music scene through album design, website creation, and photography. Over time, it transformed into a popular blog featuring interviews with musicians and concert reviews.
Stephen graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography from the Maine College of Art, where he also spent a semester abroad at the Burren College of Art in Ireland. His photography has been published in notable outlets, including GQ.com and the Portland Press Herald.
In addition to his creative pursuits, Stephen worked as an Events Wrangler at Automattic, Inc., the company behind WordPress.com, from 2014 to 2018. He has also been involved with Parka LLC, focusing on content production and project management.
Currently, he serves as the Director of Operations at Reconnect, Inc., where he leverages his technology and creativity background to support community supervision programs. Stephen lives in Maine, fostering a strong connection to his local community through both his professional and personal projects. You can learn more about his work at stephenquirk.com.
Return of Factory Portland

I’ve relaunched my old blog factoryportland.com and Instagram… check it out!