Exploringthe Scariest Convenience Store w/ Shane Hartline
New Vlog + Companion Review:
In this email…
My newest vlog: Exploring the Scariest Convenience Store with Shane Hartline
My Companion Review
NEW VLOG:
What is a bodega? What is a scary bodega?
This video answers both of those questions better than any other source on the internet. I went to Burbank's Horror Boodega with Shane Hartline to find out what the HELL is going on at Burbank's spookiest snack shop.
@thehorrorboodega
Shane Hartline @shane_hartline on Tik Tok and Instagram
Companion Review
SPOILER WARNING:
It’s nearly impossible to talk about Companion without resorting to experience-ruining spoilers, and even though I know it’s too much to ask in an age where your favorite show/movie could somehow be spoiled by a clip used in nurse’s tik tok, I would encourage anyone to go in as blind as possible - going as far as to even avoid the film’s poster.
That being said, I do have to spoil the movie.
You’ve been warned (please go see it blind! Even at this review’s peril)
Companion: The Threat of HI (Human Intelligence)
Movies about artificial intelligence (AI) are nothing new in the horror/thriller genre. From the complex neural-network, super intelligence of Terminator’s Skynet to the simplistic killer robots in Chopping Mall, filmmakers have explored the perils that come with our creations. Creation is the major source of the scares. That we’ve created it. We’ve invited it in. Now it’s out to get us.
Most recently our AI fears have manifested in a specific-type of horror/thriller movie. One where the basic premise has a servant robot (AI) turning on its master. TIM, Subservience, and M3GAN come to mind, along with a slew of others found on Tubi, Weebi, Scoobi, and whatever other-i service you’ve never heard of (but is free with ads). Intriguing, yet predictable. You can probably already plot out the story beats in your head.
Servant Bot is a great help, but then starts to act a little weird.
Someone is mysteriously killed.
Then Servant Bot acts more weird, prompting suspicion from the protagonist.
More people die.
Servant Bot goes full psycho, forcing the protagonist to survive, ending with a sobering message that we must be cautious of this terrifying new technology.
Drew Hancock’s Companion takes a different approach, asking us to confront the perils born from us, the creator. Exposing that our true nature is ripping off a Furby’s fur to see what’s inside, or kicking over and abusing our bipedal robot for stream views.
We’re the ones to fear.
Companion follows love birds Josh and Iris on a weekend getaway with friends that goes terribly (and violently) wrong. The catch: Iris is a companion robot - the film’s polite way of saying sex robot. If Companion followed the plot of the aforementioned TIM, Subservience, or M3GAN, we’d have Iris be the villain of the film. Luckily, that’s not Companion.
Iris is the protagonist as well as victim, making the movie serve as a mirror to the dangers of our human nature more so than technology. Companion is about how easily we dehumanize others in pursuit of our own pleasure, and just how easy it is for us to justify those dehumanizing actions. Ultimately, the movie uses Iris, the AI sex robot, as a non-stealthy surrogate for men’s treatment of women - rather than being interested in acting as a terrifying warning of the burgeoning technology of companion AIs, large language models, etc. (though trust that it adds enough Black Mirror to explore the sci-fi implications of all of those things in interesting and hilarious ways).
But mainly, it is a movie about human nature, and in being so, is far more interesting.
Also it stars the gorgeous Sophie Thatcher in various adorable outfits, so that gives it a high rating regardless (sorry, I’m only human).
Joe gives it five stars. My first 5 stars of 2025.