I cried when I watched this in 2021, and now it's time to cry again. RIP Udo Kier 🖤

Nothing says 'good tidings' like a couple of collector boxsets focusing on the career of Michael 'Sunnyboy' Haneke & some bloodier-than-bloodiest films from extreme French filmmakers. Here's to the start of a great holiday season, folks 🎁📀🎄 emmawestwood.net/2025/11/18/u...

Hot tip from my hot tipster 🙉🙈🙊 BUNNY is an excellent new Australian indie horror. See it here: 🎥 Screening Venues Sun Theatre, Yarraville – Thurs, 13 Nov, 7pm Lido Cinemas, Hawthorn – Fri 14 Nov, 9pm Thornbury Picture House - Sat, 15 Nov, 4pm Eclipse Theatre, Elsternwick – Sun, 16 Nov, 7pm

Second viewing of FRANKENSTEIN, and this dedication from @realgdt.bsky.social has ruined me 😭

I watched @realgdt.bsky.social poignant and painterly FRANKENSTEIN (2025) in the cinema with @jamieblanks.bsky.social. We were spellbound. If you can get to a cinema, this is where this beautiful creature should live – emotionally overwhelming, visually immersive, utterly masterful #frankenstein

Why We Love Horror Stories – great perspective in @nautil.us, and one that pinpoints THE THING as a perfect horror film, so yeah, the author knows what they're talking about (can I get a witness, @jezconolly.bsky.social?): nautil.us/why-we-love-...

123 years old and discovered again – long live Elsa 😍 www.bbc.com/news/article...

"It's a home invasion film from Leatherface's point of view" Film Critic @horrornonna.com on The Texas Chain Saw Massacre in CHAIN REACTIONS. What CHAIN REACTIONS at home now: buff.ly/9aSdCtG

I’ve built nothing but narratives recently, so why not try the TERRIFIER clown brick set ? (cheers for that, Umbrella Entertainment 🤡)

PODCAST ALERT Mike Muncer of The Evolution of Horror podcast kindly allowed me to bang on about one of my favourite subjects, the film known as SECONDS (1966). Listen. Learn (maybe). Love (Mike, definitely - he's a mensch). emmawestwood.net/2025/10/18/e...

Feeling great sadness – and surprise – at the news of Diane Keaton's death. My admiration for her only grew after doing a deep-dive into LOOKING FOR MR GOODBAR for the Cinemaniacs screening in July. Looks like my ambition to share a meal and a glass of wine with her will never come to fruition 😭

What is the value of Meanjin? We’ve done some calculations – and it’s not about money theconversation.com/what-is-the-...

ANNOUNCEMENT *cue trumpets* emmawestwood.net/2025/09/27/m...

ON THE BLOG: BABA YAGA & co. emmawestwood.net/2025/09/23/d...

This boxset of epic horniness arrived today: DANZA MACABRA Vol. 4 from @severinfilms.bsky.social. An Italian gothic collection, with @sallychristie.bsky.social and I getting witchy about BABA YAGA. Looking forward to consuming the other extras, incl. @horrornonna.com’s titty essay 💃🏻

Couldn't make it to the Cinemaniacs screening of LOOKING FOR MR GOODBAR? You're in luck – here's my intro! Cue up your @vinsyn.bsky.social copy of the film, roll my presentation and you're set 📽️ emmawestwood.net/2025/08/16/p...

Thanks for everything, David Stratton — a giant of the Australian film scene. Fierce proponent of cinema and anti-censorship (a subject close to my heard). Author of the best best-titled autobiography, I PEED ON FELLINI. Time to watch his favourite film, SINGING IN THE RAIN ☔ #ripdavidstratton

WEAPONS Drop everything. Don’t read or watch anything further. Get thee to a cinema.

When it comes to insults, nobody—and I mean, nobody—does them like former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating...

It’s time to sort your @melbfilmfest.bsky.social schedule now tickets have gone on sale. Here are a few options to get you started 🍿 bit.ly/3Il2HLy

The one, the only, the magnificent @horrornonna.com is appearing in not 1 but 2 films at this year’s Melb Int Film Festival! From film critic to filmmaker, this woman is unstoppable. Here’s video evidence from last night’s program launch…

I don't have the words to express my excitement... A quirky 2000-word fictional narrative I wrote has been shortlisted for the Open Short Story Competition of The Furphy Literary Award 2025! On July 26, I'll be heading to Shepparton for the awards ceremony with the other 16 finalists! *squeak*

So, @jman75.bsky.social decided he wanted to talk to me... for 2 hours!! And that didn't include the continued conversation over pizzas after the camera stopped rolling 🤗 Thanks for choosing me for 'That Interview Show', Julian (and for fulfilling my film noir fantasies) 🎥 youtu.be/p7cQPu-52E4?...

It’s October 14, 1974 and London's Jacey Leicester Square — a hotel lobby converted to a newsreel cinema in 1936 which switched exclusively to softcore delights from 1970 until 1978 — has a double feature of THE DEVIL WITCH (aka BABA YAGA)

Such an honour... Potentially a career highlight for me... emmawestwood.net/2025/07/01/s...

This film is a lost classic. If you have not seen it, the power of Corrado Farina compels you…

Newly scanned in 4K from the original camera negative, Severin’s presentation of BABA YAGA – complete with 4+ hours of Special Features plus the first-ever release of a soundtrack compilation by Piero Umiliani – is available in DANZA MACABRA Volume Four, now available for pre-order:

In the featurette “Valentina, BABA YAGA And Dad”, film critic Alberto Farina discusses his father’s fascination with the erotic fumetti of Guido Crepax that led him to direct 1973’s “twisted and trippy” (Rock! Shock! Pop!) Italian Gothic classic.

Another audio commentary with @stephenarussell.bsky.social done & dusted! We are clearly delirious!

Watching ET: THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL with adult eyes makes me realise how lucky I was to enjoy this at the cinema (3 times) as an 11-year-old. Filmmaking doesn’t get better than this ♥️

Confession: I compiled this list after catching up with a friend for Happy Hour, and it seems somewhat binary and stacked with recency bias but… it is what it is. Note to self: Letterboxd @nytimes.com

Arts journos living alone need their pets. And arts journos are not sufficiently remunerated for pet emergencies. Please consider a wee donation for this sweetest puss and their dear human friend (who also happens to be very dear to me)...

I'm as close as I will ever get to composer Piero Umiliani by co-commenting with @sallychristie.bsky.social on BABA YAGA (1973) in this beautiful Italian gothic collection, DANZA MACABRA VOL. 4 from @severinfilms.bsky.social. Thanks to Kat for the commission! www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yuE...

Vale Sylvester Stewart ❤️ @dickierock.bsky.social chose your song 'I Want to Take You Higher' as my ringtone. May we continue to shock him every time I call. United in funk 🎶 youtu.be/BqWQzOzK3kw?...

Paul Verhoeven could not have masterminded a better shot

Yes, I think i do…

Q. Who's the lucky girl who gets to be on another David Cronenberg limited edition release? A: Me Thanks again to @phillipescott.bsky.social and @secondsightfilms.bsky.social for making it come true. emmawestwood.net/2025/05/30/b...

BRING HER BACK is a top-notch follow-up that proves the Philippous' TALK TO ME was not a fluke. Go in with one eye open and emptied bowels 😍

“It will be great exposure,” they say. But after a couple of decades in the biz, I say, “Yeah, nah.”

Gotta love date night at Grill’d. And all because @dickierock.bsky.social is afraid of chickens (ask him about it sometime)…

A year today since my dear sweet friend Lee Gambin died, far too young. He was one of Australia's most prolific film critics, but much more than that to those of us who knew him well. If you missed my obit in Fangoria last year I'd be honoured if you read it now to get a feel for what we lost 💜

EVIL CAT. Coming to a strip of sunlight near you.

Thank you, @stephenarussell.bsky.social for being you ♥️

Slightly devastated after watching THE NARROW ROAD TO THE DEEP NORTH (streaming on Prime) this ANZAC weekend. Lest we forget