Cinema Yūgen

Step into a tale that unfolds like a beautiful lie: a grieving woman, a magnetic stranger, and a romance that peels back layer after layer until the heart of darkness is revealed. In this episode we celebrate Cruel Love — Nick Lyon’s sleek, suspenseful film — and the luminous final performance of Christian Oliver, whose presence animates every scene.
Through candid conversation with the leads Elisabeth Harnois, Bai Ling and their director, we trace the film’s pull: sunlit mansions that hide dangerous corners, a femme fatale who refuses to be simple, and the slow, terrifying unspooling of trust. It’s a story of desire, survival, and the fragile places where people collide — part tribute, part thriller, and entirely unforgettable.
CHECK IT OUT:
https://www.nicklyon.com/cruellove
https://vimeo.com/ondemand/cruellove2026
https://www.primevideo.com/detail/0RTN32BMMCZOVM6XLT9I6X3IW9
https://youtu.be/wedpaz1nAk0
 

When the CGI giants sleep, a handful of stubborn artists crawled back into the dungeon to resurrect a blood‑stained kind of fantasy. In this episode Kent Hill sits down with Richard Pate — the unforgettable, self‑styled King Gerind — and trades stories of Scottish moors, giant spiders, practical effects, and the fierce, ridiculous joy of making movies on a shoestring.
Listen as laughter and nostalgia peel back the curtain on Hex Studios’ operatic follow‑up: a louder, juicier adventure that promises bigger thrills and richer characters. This is a love letter to indie cinema — messy, brave, and utterly alive — told by the people who fought to bring old‑school fantasy back to life.
CHECK IT OUT:
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8971170/
https://youtu.be/NXHNZV-IhCo
https://hill33kjw.podbean.com/e/the-slave-and-the-sorcerer-a-love-letter-to-sword-sorcery/
https://hill33kjw.podbean.com/e/into-the-abyss-the-reign-of-queen-gennara-with-megan-tremethic/
https://www.britishhorrorstudio.com/
 
 

Step behind the velvet ropes with Matthew "Matty" Greenberg — the mind behind Reign of Fire, 1408 and Pet Sematary — as he tells the story of a life lived inside Hollywood’s beautiful madness.
Kent and Matty trade outrageous set anecdotes, heartbreaking moments like Wilson drifting away, run-ins with legends, and the brutal, hilarious craft of rewrites, lost projects and improbable comebacks. It’s an intimate ride through the backstreets where ideas are abandoned, rediscovered and — if you’re lucky — reborn on the page.
Equal parts laugh-out-loud and hard-won wisdom, this episode is for anyone who wants to know what it takes to keep writing after the industry knocks you down — and why writers always find a way back to one more draft.
CHECK IT OUT:
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0338557/
https://hill33kjw.podbean.com/e/writing-with-fire-a-screenwriters-journey/
https://podcastingthemsoftly.com/2017/01/13/writing-with-fire-an-interview-with-matthew-greenberg-by-kent-hill/
 

Step into a late-night conversation where two friends-turned-filmmakers unpack how a quiet, bullied teenager became the centerpiece of a fiercely original horror film. On this episode, Cinema Yugen welcomes back Quinton “Q” Macari and his co-director and writer Nat Brehmer to tell the story of Julie: a movie born from a decade of obsession, shot in just eleven relentless days, and polished into something both beautiful and terrifying.
We follow the narrative like one of the film’s campfire bookends—opening with the sparks of an idea developed over years of pre-production, moving through the logistical and emotional intensity of a tiny, passionate crew, and landing in the editing bay where the film finally takes its wicked shape. Along the way we hear stories of on-set magic: the lead’s chilling, face-driven performance, deft cinematography that catches a single glint in the eyes, a Kane Hodder cameo, and the careful payoffs that make the movie land when it matters most.
But this episode is more than craft talk. It’s a moral push-pull: the filmmakers invite you to root for a character who becomes monstrous, to feel the thrill and then the shame of cheering for the wrong side. With references to Carrie, sly genre subversions, holiday-set atmosphere, and talk of a possible franchise, the conversation hums with ambition, nostalgia, and a love for the indie horror revolution. Tune in to hear the triumphs, the hiccups, and the creative sparks that made Julie a film you’ll be eager—and uneasy—to watch.
CHECK IT OUT:
http://juliemovie.com/?
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt40644724/?ref_=nm_knf_t_1
https://www.facebook.com/qmacari/posts/julie-/10102545298634902/
https://www.instagram.com/p/DV1HVtuFbpY/
 

Step into a torchlit kingdom where ambition becomes a plague and a single gaze can summon destiny. In this episode, host Kent Hill sits down with Megan Tremethick — the hypnotic queen at the heart of The Reign of Queen Ginnarra — to unravel a film that feels like an operatic dream of blood, dragons and dark sorcery.
Through breezy anecdotes and sharp behind-the-scenes detail, Megan reveals how Lawrie Brewster and British Horror Studios conjured sweeping fantasy on indie resources: ancient abbeys, meticulous rehearsals, practical effects and a refusal to bow to studio convention. Hear about the eerie, maternal menace behind Queen Ginnarra’s silence, the iconic throne-room moment that won’t leave the host’s mind, and the creative courage that makes this film feel mythic.
Whether you love grand cinema or crafty indie courage, this episode is a short, electric journey into how artists build worlds from passion and restraint. Ready your swords — darkness is beautiful tonight.
CHECK IT OUT:
https://youtu.be/7quQW_vNwbU
https://www.britishhorrorstudio.com/
https://www.instagram.com/p/DayHXKYDfMA/
https://www.facebook.com/megantremethick.official/photos/122143168059053253/
 

G'day, Earthlings — a warning siren sounds and the aliens have arrived. In this episode, we ride shotgun with Scott Bateman, the dry-humored auteur behind the cult phenomenon 5000 Space Aliens, as he unveils a new, stranger wave: 5002 Space Aliens. Born from rotoscoped found footage, hand-drawn oddities, and a narrator so deadpan it could dehydrate a cactus, the film refuses to be just watched — it must be experienced. Bateman describes making the movie like crafting a jazz riff, a nonstop parade of surreal images, music, and absurd wit that washes over you like a relentless, wonderful sushi train.
On August 10, 2026 the sequel touches down on Apple, Amazon and Google/YouTube, and with it comes an invitation: count the 5,002 aliens, join the tribe, and let the film upend the familiar three-act script. This episode captures Bateman's creative obsession, the indie hunger that fuels solo filmmaking, and the thrilling moment when a tiny, handcrafted cinematic oddity finds its way onto the big streaming stage. Buckle up — the invasion is dry, hilarious, and unlike anything you've seen.
CHECK IT OUT:
http://www.batemanimation.com/
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZfLK7WRiYs/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt41571012/
 

Lock the doors and pull up a chair: this episode peels back the wallpaper on Rich Interior Lives, a claustrophobic, sweaty indie thriller that starts with an awkward car ride and detonates into the dinner party from hell. An eccentric woman invites her childhood crush—now an arrogant megachurch pastor—into a cramped living room and a darker belief: that his power is sexually contagious.
Director Ken Whiting and writer Andrew Bonazelli turn predictable politeness into escalating menace, while feverish digital animations slice through the night like comic-book hallucinations. We trace the character Dana’s uneasy viewpoint as secrets, toys, and loyalties unravel, and the film’s tone shifts from uncomfortable to deliriously dangerous.
Tune in for a vivid behind-the-scenes conversation about risk, craft, and the odd joy of finding brilliance outside the studio system—then go watch the film on Tubi and see what happens when hidden lives explode into full view.
CHECK IT OUT:
https://tubitv.com/en-au/movies/100055629/rich-interior-lives
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15678834/
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6238297/?ref_=tt_ov_1_1
https://www.10secondstocomply.com/
 
 

The sky goes dark, the sirens wail, and Anthony C. Ferrante is right in the middle of the storm — not by accident but by design. This episode drops you into the ragged, electric world that forged Sharknado: a small‑town kid turned Fangoria scribe, special effects maverick, and relentless problem‑solver who learned to make movies with whatever he could beg, borrow, or jury‑rig. Listen as Ferrante recounts the scrappy, seat‑of‑the‑pants moments that gave his films their unpolished charm and contagious energy.
Through anecdotes about late‑night set improvisations, DIY makeup effects, and the absurd birth of a title that became a global pop‑culture tornado, the conversation becomes a guided tour of creative obsession. You’ll feel the pulse of his career — the thrill of shooting in Times Square for two hours, the joy of writing ridiculous theme songs, and the playful risk of turning pulp ideas into something millions can’t stop talking about.
More than a Sharknado origin story, this is the portrait of a filmmaker who turned limitations into style and fandom into legacy. Crank up the volume, watch the skies, and take a front‑row seat inside the glorious, frenetic mind of Anthony C. Ferrante — the man who makes movies by solving impossible problems at full speed.
CHECK IT OUT:
https://www.instagram.com/anthonycferrante/
https://youtu.be/3u64ruW3WwE