Chapter 20
Chapter Twenty
4.1.2025
Editor – Mykal - Content – Technical
Research & Editor – Mike - Content
Psycho Studios is an independent Film/TV production company. A multimedia platform with a podcast as well as this newsletter. Feel free to reach out to Psycho Studios through their website or by email.
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Forward
Mike and Mykal are a father & son duo that started a production company about two years ago. They are working on the next phase of their production company and look forward to being involved in feature film making. They rolled out a podcast and newsletter to give their audience a means to hear where they are headed and what they are experiencing. The newsletter (The Sprinkler) is fun, informative and value add! They remind their audience that they leave politics at the door. They want their energy to be positive and wellness based. Share gratitude and be cool to one another!
We bring old school and contemporary ideas to the table.
Mykal & I operate with the credo; be cool to one another. We want to connect with people, and be present while we enjoy this journey. We have embarked on something that is moving in a direction that affords us to display our creativity and love for film & music in our Psycho Studio’s Podcast on YouTube – now with video!
Come with us as we explore ways to live in the moment and appreciate all we have, rather than what we have not.
Welcome psychos one and all!
The Sprinkler Program Update
The twentieth chapter of The Sprinkler will be the last one for this newsletter and format. We are evolving into a blog, called simply A Psycho’s Blog. This will roll out in April and will be available on our website. www.psycho-studio.com
Film – Music - Some Wellness – Commentary – Some Sports and Random Headlines
Let’s start with a film quote we love:
Ideas come from everything
Alfred Hitchcock
The Psycho Scale:
We use our Psycho Scale for film and TV series rating scores. Our Psycho Scale is 1-Psycho, with Psycho being the highest; 10. Mykal and I watch all scored films and TV series; drawing from decades of real viewing experience.
Film
Let’s talk directors – CUT!
My top five directors are a limited list, and in no particular order. I had about 20 more to share, but narrowed to these five:
Top 5 directors
Alfred Hitchcock
Christopher Nolan
Wes Craven
John Carpenter
Quentin Tarantino
Honorable mention-Terrence Fisher-Hammer
Blurbs Top 5
Alfred Hitchcock was a true film genius. His style, risk taking and innovative film techniques are legendary. An icon!
Christopher Nolan is a brilliant film maker. From Memento to Tenet and beyond his films are detailed. Beautifully shot. Mind boggling.
Wes Craven was a horror master! Some might say savant. His start with Last House through the Scream franchise place him on the Mount Rushmore of horror.
John Carpenter is a horror genre genius! He brought Halloween to life and his numerous horror classics are just that!
Quentin Tarantino is a legendary film maker. Smart, inventive and detailed; his films are thought provoking and beautiful.
Honorable mention, Terrence Fisher gave the Universal Monsters a new life! This British director made Hammer Films and his work with Cushing and Lee was amazing!
March was a fucking crazy month! We made it to the theatre to watch Mickey 17, one of the highlights of the month! Here is the list of films I watched for the third month of the year!
Films
Tenabre - 1982 – 7 - Dario Argento at his twisted fineness
The Matador - 2006 – 6 - A weird buddy film with Kinnear and Brosnan as a hitman
Wolf Man 2025 – 2 - How come this great source material keeps falling short?
Strange Behavior - 1981 – 1 - Very odd 80’s flick, very bad
Freaky - 2020 – 4 – Peculiar so-called horror with Vince Vaugn, really
Anora - 2024 - 5.5 – not my cup of tea but very well acted
Blood Rage - 1987 - 1.5 – Horrible 1980’s horror
Stream - 2024 - 2 – This is a terrible current horror film, yikes
It’s a Wonderful Knife - 2023 - 3 - Justin Long appears in this and I’m not sure how or why
See No Evil - 1971 – 7 – Classic early 70s film with Mia Farrow, worth a watch!
Dead Silence – 5 – Stylish, mood setting and eerie film that falls flat from the Saw team
Heart Eyes - 2025 - 2 - $18 million to make?! Terrible! Not much more to say
How to Murder your Wife - 1965 - 2 – Had potential, ultimately stupid with Jack Lemon
Heretic at home 2024 – 2 – Rewatched this film at home, it’s still a two!
Popeye the Slayer Man 2025 – 1 – Putrid film taking advantage of public domain
Ghosted 2023 – 3 – Romantic comedy? Wow, this was not for me at all!
The Matrix 1999 – 8 – Groundbreaking sci-fi with a great cast and unique story!
Companion 2025 – 6.5 – Entertaining story and idea with a sold cast, worth a watch
Mickey 17 - 2025 - 7.5/8 - Very cool film! Thank goodness for this film! Entertaining and Robert Pattison simply rocks!
And,
Hostel - 2006 - 7 - wow! I saw a different ending to this film! I had no idea there was an alternate ending! The lead character takes the Dutch businessman lunatic’s daughter from him on the train! Roth shot the theatrical ending with Paxton killing the Dutch businessman in the restroom. Test audiences were appalled and Roth shot the different theatrical ending we know due to the negativity. (Roth stated Paxton was saving the little girl but initially was going to have the lead cut her throat.) It’s interesting how a test audience can impact the fucking ending a film!
And in TV
Severance Season Two ended with a roar, with one of the more memorable endings to a TV series season! The show is a must watch for anyone that digs sci-fi drama and outstanding cast and smart dialogue and story. All episodes in Season 2 came in with a Psycho rating of 9 with the last episode of Season 2 being a 10!
Daredevil Born Again, three episodes in we are done with this show. We really enjoyed the original series and line up. This recent iteration is abyssal. All three episodes came in at a 1 on our Psycho Scale!
Reacher, 2024 the third season was watchable, but not much more. The first season delivered the way the author of Reacher would have wanted to see. A strong story, great cast and really good dialogue! Season two was unwatchable. Season three, is semi-entertaining but weak story, poor cast in many areas and silly outcomes make this come in on the Psycho Scale – 2. This has the potential for feature film based on the content of the Reacher books and the strong portrayal by lead Alan Ritchson.
Music
In the rock and roll universe there were two new singles from groups I was into back in the day.
L.A. Guns new track is Lucky Motherfucker. This song lacks their signature sound and is a sad display of what once was. They released this new track alongside the same song, but without lyrics which was a cool touch. Psycho Scale – 4
The group Filter, who brought us the classic Hey Man Nice Shot, partnered with Kooni for their new single entitled Obliteration. They often collaborated with other groups and sounds. This one falls flat for me, and I long for old Filter. Psycho Scale – 3
In other music notes, something I want to do is listen to these groups more in April:
A Perfect Circle – the so-called side project from Maynard Keenan of Tool – eclectic and interesting rock sound with deep lyrics
DefTones – a hauntingly unique and cool band, one I would suggest to anyone interested in melodic and mood setting rock n roll
Chevelle – The three-piece band originally formed by three brothers, even with the lineup change they are thought provoking with their lyrics and hard charging sound!
Kittie – an all-female metal band from Canada that hit the scene in 1996; their fast-paced hard rock with female vocals is a cool jam indeed!
Long live rock and roll! Mykal and I are looking forward to the Nine Inch Nail’s concert later this year!
Sharing three really great rock and roll playlists from our Spotify premium account:
Keeping with our rock image of the month theme: Check out this NIN playlist!
In the mood for some 1960s and 1970s rock? Check out our Sunday Classics:
And let’s revisit one of Mykal’s awesome playlists from what I feel is an underrated rock n roll group – Type O Negative! What’s Your Type?
Rock and Roll Image of the Month! (RRIM)
Trent Reznor
Trent barking out his uniquely hard charging rock voice! One of our favorite artists! NIN developed a sound that holds true today! Fragile or Pretty Hate Machine?
Some Wellness
This article brought to us by University of Oklahoma
Emotional Avoidance and Mental Well-being
In the realm of human emotions, there exists a natural tendency to avoid unpleasant feelings. Whether it's fear, sadness, anger, or even vulnerability, many of us have developed strategies to sidestep these emotions in hopes of maintaining comfort and stability in our lives. However, what seems like a coping mechanism in the short term can have profound implications for our mental health and overall well-being in the long run.
Nature of Emotional Avoidance
Emotional avoidance refers to the deliberate effort to suppress, ignore, or distract oneself from experiencing certain emotions. This behavior can manifest in various forms, and while these tactics may provide temporary relief, they do little to address the underlying issues that give rise to these emotions in the first place.
· Denial and Suppression: Pretending that certain emotions don't exist or trying to bury them deep within ourselves.
· Distraction and Busyness: Keeping ourselves constantly busy or preoccupied to avoid facing our emotions directly.
· Avoidance of Triggers: Steering clear of situations, people, or places that might evoke uncomfortable emotions.
· Substance Use: Turning to alcohol, drugs, or other substances to numb emotional pain temporarily.
Consequences of Emotional Avoidance
· Increased Emotional Intensity: Ironically, avoiding emotions can intensify them over time. Emotions that are not acknowledged or processed tend to linger beneath the surface and can resurface more intensely in the future.
· Impaired Emotional Regulation: Avoidance interferes with our ability to regulate emotions effectively. Instead of learning to cope with and understand our feelings, we become reliant on avoidance strategies that hinder our emotional growth.
· Interpersonal Issues: Emotional avoidance can strain relationships. When we avoid our own emotions, we may also inadvertently distance ourselves from others emotionally, leading to misunderstandings and conflicts.
· Negative Impact on Mental Health: Persistent emotional avoidance is associated with higher levels of anxiety, depression, and stress. It may prevent us from engaging in the self-reflection and self-care necessary for psychological resilience.
Embracing Emotional Awareness and Acceptance
To foster emotional well-being, it is crucial to adopt strategies that promote emotional awareness and acceptance.
· Mindfulness and Presence: Practicing mindfulness allows us to observe our emotions without judgment or suppression. By acknowledging our feelings as they arise, we can begin to understand their origins and patterns.
· Healthy Expression and Seeking Support: Finding constructive ways to express emotions, such as journaling, talking to a trusted friend or therapist, or engaging in creative activities, can facilitate emotional processing while identifying healthier coping strategies
· Self-Compassion: Cultivating self-compassion involves treating ourselves with kindness and understanding, especially during times of emotional distress. It allows us to validate our own experiences and feelings without self-criticism.
While it may be tempting to avoid unpleasant emotions, doing so ultimately undermines our mental health and overall well-being. By embracing our emotions with courage and compassion, we empower ourselves to cultivate greater emotional resilience and lead more fulfilling lives. Acknowledging our emotions is not a sign of weakness but rather a testament to our strength and capacity for growth.
Commentary
We end this initial run of our newsletter The Sprinkler this month as we transition to our new blog, A Psycho’s Blog in April. I sit here and wonder what the fuck? The world is in such turmoil and our once great country is in the middle of most of the shit. We have lived by the credo of leave politics at the door. I am simply surprised at the state of our union. I will leave it at that, and say I’m hopeful we can navigate through the next four years and learn valuable lessons! I want to say I believe being kind to ourselves as well as others is key. Let’s be cool to one another as we make our way through our day to day. Let’s all take a deep breath and be present, live in the moment and know we got this! Cheers to all!
Some Sports
Green Bay Packers – They did very little in free agency according to most of their fans. The Packers picked up an offensive lineman, a suspect cornerback and a linebacker that was previously on their roster. The NFL Draft is in Green Bay this year which is unprecedented! Time will tell how this all shakes out. The Packers are in a prove it season, will the Lombardi trophy come back home?
Milwaukee Bucks – The Bucks are in a downward spiral (to borrow from NIN) and they have dropped to the sixth spot in the Eastern Conference. The Bucks are reeling, and this includes Bobby Portis Jr’s suspension for taking a banned substance. Numerous lingering injury issues which have kept players out of games to include AJ Green, Giannis, Trent Jr. and Damien Lillard. The horrible news that Dame has an issue with blood clots has pretty much sealed the fate of the Buck’s season. We wish Dame a speedy recovery. The Bucks season and future are in turmoil. Can you fear a wounded deer?
Milwaukee Brewers – They opened their regular season on March 27th, and lost opening day. The Brewers have started the new season 0-4, with four losses to kick off 2025, including a home opening loss against the Kansas City Royals 11-1! It’s a long season consisting of 162 games, take me out to the ball game!
NCAA basketball tournament, as Wisconsin fans know both the Wisconsin Badgers and Marquette Golden Eagles (men) lost early on in the tournament flaming out before the sweet 16. There’s always next season?
Wisconsin sports teams have been a challenge for all their loyal fans!
Random Headlines
Let’s get to some weird and interesting stuff!
- Passenger arrested after performing unusual sex act during flight! A male passenger on a SWISS Air flight was caught red handed. The male suspect, 33, is accused of touching himself in front of other passengers on a flight from Zurich to Dresden, Germany. This gross idiot was warned several times and continued to play with himself! I’m at a loss for words! He was at a loss for restraint and is subject to several charges!
- Supposedly it is decided who should pay the bill on a first date in 2025. This from Emily Post, the person who asks the other person to go on the date should pay unless both parties agree in advance to share expenses! Check please!
- Tony Robbins five daily habits for those who want to get what they want. Prime their minds for success every morning. They take massive, targeted action, have a plan. They surround themselves with the right influences. They practice daily gratitude and self-reflection. So key, and be kind to themselves! They constantly feed their minds with new ideas and perspectives. Stay positive!
- In the quantum realm, time’s arrow might fly in two directions! This is in Mykal’s wheelhouse and out of my pay grade. Amazing things are happening with computing beyond A.I. Time will tell where this leads us!
- I eat way too much tuna, but it is a quick main ingredient in easy recipes to include sandwiches and salads. Like mac and cheese? Fold some tuna that has been browned in some oil and voila! A recent recipe I came across was making a tuna salad with baby dill pickles finely chopped and some of the dill pickle juice! A tasty twist to a tuna standard! Mykal is coming up with a special seasoning combination that will enhance a simple tuna sandwich! It is much needed! You can tuna a piano but you can’t tuna fish
- This headline is a blast from the past. Marilyn Monroe once said, if you want to be happy, do not dwell in the past, do not worry about the future, focus on living fully in the present. Come on, how timely is that? I vow to continue to work on this element as I know it is key to our happiness! A Seven Year Itch?
- There is an incredible article dated March 3, 2025 from Daily Mail. This is not your typical all too short social media news article. The depth of the article is about the Chateau Marmont. This West Hollywood hotel which opened in 1929 is beyond legendary! It is an amazing read, and I would have to fill a couple of pages with all of its content. Anyone who enjoys reading about Hollywood’s under belly will find this an interesting read. The stories about Led Zeppelin seemed to have been edited quite a bit, as their’s are absurd even for Hollywood!
- A child in Kansas complained about a monster under their bed, the classic scary tale! When the babysitter looked under the bed to appease the child, there was a 27-year-old man lying there! It took the police 24 hours to find the suspect and it turns out he used to live in the house! He has been jailed without bail as this is not his first time to be scary at his former home! There really are monsters under our bed!?
- In some crappy news, a jury convicted the thief that stole a golden toilet from English palace. You simply cannot make this stuff up!
- And in turtle news, a man was found with a live turtle concealed in his pants by TSA at a New Jersey airport! The five-inch turtle was wrapped in a blue towel and shoved in the man’s pants. The circumstance is still under investigation. We wonder if this was a pet or possibly a significant other!?
Interesting individual of the month [IIM]
This month’s interesting individual is Spiderman (2002)
We always said our interesting individual could be fictious. Spiderman from Sam Raimi in both the original 2002 film and the sequel Spiderman 2 is one of our favorite movie heroes of all time!
I was never a comic book fan, nor was I into the so-called super hero movies. I had felt that any of the big-time heroes such as Superman and Batman were executed in poor fashion. I found those films to be bigger than life in a comedic way with terrible dialogue and suspect casting. The general public seemed to enjoy those films, look at C Reeves in Superman and M Keaton in Batman. There is no accounting for film taste. It’s what moves you, moves us, moves me. We fast forward to Sam Raimi of Evil Dead and Darkman fame making a Spiderman movie! I admit there is a bit of sentimentality to the Spiderman films, as Mykal and I experienced that together in the theatre when he was a wee lad.
Regarding the title character, Spiderman, he is not only a hero but he is a genuine good guy! A lot of Spiderman is naturally Peter Parker who by nature is a good person. Parker raised by his aunt and uncle and both being classic good-natured seniors. Spiderman looked after those that couldn’t look after themselves. Spidey protected a city from crime and mayhem! At his core Spiderman wanted to be accepted, dare I say loved by his city. He also wanted to be with the girl of his dreams and to be a good son to his aunt and uncle. Spiderman was also struggling with the way the world was becoming and the bad guys that seemed to be everywhere. Spiderman wasn’t the fastest, or strongest or biggest super hero. He was more of your everyday guy who had something spectacular happen to him. The bite from a specially engineered spider! Peter could have used those new powers for negative purposes, but that was not him! Peter, Spiderman tried to use those super powers for something selfish which he thought would get him the girl. That plan backfired terribly and ultimately his Uncle Ben died indirectly by Peter’s inaction.
Spiderman never took anything for granted from that point forward, and selflessly protected and watched out for those in and around his life. Peter sacrificed a lot by staying in the mask, something great heroes all do! We could use a true Spiderman; dare I say hero in these challenging times! Thank you to Stan Lee (RIP) for creating such a memorable and special character that transcends time!
With great power comes great responsibility!
Love this head or her time quote from Marilyn Monroe:
Live in Moment
If you want to be happy, do not dwell in the past, do not worry about the future, focus on living fully in the present.
Poem By Mykal knight
"Still Floating"
I’ve been floating,
not drifting,
just stuck—
in the silence where your voice used to live.
It’s been months now,
and I still reach for you
in moments that don’t need reaching.
You were more than love,
you were my best friend.
The one I could laugh with,
get quiet with,
be stupid, soft, wild,
and real with.
Now I speak into empty rooms
and listen for echoes that never come.
And damn, it’s been hard.
I’ve been a mess—
lost in my ways,
fumbling through my own wreckage.
I know what I did.
I know the weight of my own hands.
I don’t know if I can ever be the same,
or if that same man is even worth becoming again.
But I miss you.
In every song, in every silence.
It’s taken everything in me
not to reach out.
But love sometimes means
holding the ache instead of the hand.
The love I feel for you…
it doesn’t fade.
It drifts,
wraps around my ribs,
makes breathing feel like remembering.
You were my peace,
my person,
my favorite chapter.
And now,
I’m just the pages after.
Still floating.
Still trying.
Still loving you
quietly.Closing
I have thoroughly enjoyed writing this newsletter each month for the last 20 months. I firmly believe there is an audience out there for this unique take on a newsletter. We need to lean into our marketing more, and this is why we are moving to a blog. We want to continue our unique voice in a sea of sameness.
Thank you for taking the time to read Chapter Twenty of Psycho Studios; The Sprinkler. We always look forward to sharing our thoughts, ideas and more!
Mykal and I wish everyone a magnificent March! Be safe and stay psycho!
We would love to hear from our audience. Comments, feedback & suggestions are welcome!
Email us at - psychostudios66@gmail.com
Reach us at our website - psycho-studio.com.
Find our podcasts, newsletters and more on our website! We make announcements on Instagram and BlueSky!
The Sprinkler is dropped on the first of each month. Podcasts are dropped as content is available.
Mike & Mykal
Psycho Studios Phoenix - 4.1.2025 - www.psycho-studio.com
Thank you, psychos, one and all!