iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Starting on my third week of coursework for film school, and I think I finally have my desk setup fully optimized…

Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

While I’ve been job hunting and setting up a consulting business over the last couple months, I’ve also been looking into going back to school to pursue an MFA in Film Directing. Things ended up moving very fast, and I’m incredibly excited to be starting an accessible, online program next week!

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 23/05/2026

I feel grateful that I was feeling well enough to kick off my birthday weekend with Boots Riley’s I LOVE BOOSTERS today - and I’m especially grateful to the Pickford Film Center for creating an accessible movie-going space when I’m well enough to attend.

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 27/01/2026

Films Watched in 2026: 19 I continued my Film Independent viewing this weekend with Siobhan McCarthy's SHE'S THE HE. This didn't fully work for me - the film's frenetic pace is undercut by its uneven editing rhythms...

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 25/01/2026

TV Shows Watched in 2026: 2 Next in my Film Independent TV was Mara Brock Akil's FOREVER. There was so much throughout this show that worked really well that I wanted to like it more than I did.

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 24/01/2026

TV Shows Watched in 2026: 1 In order to vote in the Spirit Awards' episodic section, I recently watched Stacey Aglok MacDonald and Alethea Arnaquq-Baril's NORTH OF NORTH.

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 24/01/2026

Films Watched in 2026: 18 Next up in my Spirit Awards viewing was Max Walker-Silverman's REBUILDING. I absolutely loved this film. What a deeply empathetic look at people who have had their lives upended by tragedy and disaster, caught within a system that fails them.

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 24/01/2026

Films Watched in 2026: 17 Next up in my Spirit Award viewing, Derek Cianfrance's ROOFMAN, a film that took me by surprise. It was charming, sweet, and funny (just like I anticipated from the trailers)...

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 24/01/2026

Films Watched in 2026: 16 It was back to Film Independent viewing earlier this week with Elena Oxman's OUTERLANDS. I found so much compelling within this small, quiet drama - wonderful performances, warm characters, compelling ideas and themes...

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 24/01/2026

Films Watched in 2026: 15 Catching up again on recent film reviews, starting with another Stephen King adaptation - Lewis Teague's CAT'S EYE. Anthology films can be hit or miss, but I thoroughly enjoyed each segment of this film...

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 18/01/2026

Films Watched in 2026: 14 Next up in my Stephen King journey is Mark L. Lester’s FIRESTARTER. It’s a fairly faithful adaptation of the novel, and there are some compelling and tense chase sequences throughout.

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 18/01/2026

Films Watched in 2026: 13 More in my journey through the books and adaptations of Stephen King with Fritz Kiersch’s CHILDREN OF THE CORN. I really love the atmosphere this film creates - it’s spooky and creepy and eerie throughout the first half of the film.

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 18/01/2026

Books Read in 2026: 1 I’m continuing my journey through the works of Stephen King with his novel, THINNER. This was a fun, incredibly dark book that once again shows the Bachman side of King at his most nihilistic.

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 17/01/2026

Music Listened to in 2026: 1 As part of my journey through the works of David Lynch, I recently finished listening to THE TWIN PEAKS ARCHIVE, from Lynch and Angelo Badalamenti. This is an embarrassment of Twin Peaks musical delights…

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 12/01/2026

Films Watched in 2026: 12 I started out a day of movie-watching yesterday with Christian Swegal’s SOVEREIGN. Here’s another film where there’s a lot to like, but it never fully clicks into place for me.

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 10/01/2026

Films Watched in 2026: 11 Today’s Film Independent screening was Lloyd Lee Choi’s LUCKY LU. This is a heartbreaking and poignant tale of the plight of immigrants in our country, with small burst of hope breaking through an otherwise sparse and bleak film.

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 10/01/2026

Films Watched in 2026: 10 Yesterday’s film was another Film Independent screening - Kate Beecroft’s EAST OF WALL. There’s a lot that I appreciate about this work of docu-fiction, but the pieces never fully connected for me.

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 09/01/2026

Films Watched in 2026: 9 Yesterday, I fit in another Film Independent screening - Constance Tsang’s BLUE SUN PALANCE, a gorgeous and heartbreaking film about the pain of loss and grief and what it means to share that grief with another person.

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 09/01/2026

Films Watched in 2025: 8 I’m catching up on reviews from the past few days, starting with another Film Independent screening - Michael Angelo Covino’s SPLITSVILLE.

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 07/01/2026

Films Watched in 2026: 7 I finished up my day yesterday with Ben Leonberg’s GOOD BOY, a horror film with a compelling premise, creepy visuals, and an outstanding canine performer - it’s an intriguing twist to have the entire story from the dog’s perspective.

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 06/01/2026

Films Watched in 2026: 6 I ended my Sunday view with another Film Independent screening - Alex Russell’s LURKER. It’s an incredibly gripping and tense look at the toxicity of fandom, fame, and the fear of irrelevancy.

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 05/01/2026

Films Watched in 2026: 5 For my next Film Independent screening, I watched Lawrence Lamont’s ONE OF THEM DAYS, a very funny girls buddy comedy touching on gentrification, housing inequity, and racial disparities in career opportunities.

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 04/01/2026

Films Watched in 2026: 4 I took a break from my Film Independent viewing to continue my ongoing journey through the books and adaptations of Stephen King with one of the many short films based on his work - John Woodward’s DISCIPLES OF THE CROW.

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 04/01/2026

Films Watched in 2026: 3 Next up in my Film Independent viewing is James Sweeney’s TWINLESS - a surprisingly funny and genuinely moving story about friendship and love, obsession and loss, grief and connection.

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 03/01/2026

Films Watched in 2026: 2 I fit in a second film on this holiday weekend - Charlie Polinger’s THE PLAGUE. I found myself really drawn in by this compelling coming-of-age drama tinged with body horror. The performances by all of the young actors are great…

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 02/01/2026

Films Watched in 2026: 1 It’s been a while since I shared much on social media due to my health taking a nosedive in 2025, but as I start to better manage my symptoms, I’m poking my head up again as I’m able.

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 07/04/2025

2025 Film Viewing Diary: #29 I ended my third day at the Sundance Film Festival with Gala del Sol's RAINS OVER BABEL. This was another film that felt like it would be tailor-made for me, but instead left me more frustrated with the choices it ended up making. 1/

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 07/04/2025

2025 Film Viewing Diary: #28 Next up in my Sundance shorts was Stephen Irwin's A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR DEATH. I can be hit-or-miss with some of these more abstract, macabre works of animation, but this one ultimately worked for me. 1/

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 04/04/2025

2025 Film Viewing Diary: #27 My next short film at Sundance was Daisy Friedman's UNHOLY. This is such a gut-wrenching and hilarious look at the ways families treat and react and respond to members with newly acquired disabilities. 1/

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 03/04/2025

2025 Film Viewing Diary: #26 My second short at Sundance with Glenn Kaino's HOOPS, HOPES & DREAMS. There's some great history presented here, and I appreciate learning more about both King and Obama's use of basketball as a tool for outreach. 1/

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 02/04/2025

2025 Film Viewing Diary: #25 My first short film from Sundance this year was Alex Heller's DEBATERS. This is really well-made, wonderfully performed, and slickly directed. 1/

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 01/04/2025

For this month's Patreon-only bonus episode of The Criterion Channel Surfing Podcast, Michael Hutchins and I discussed the upcoming April releases on the Criterion Channel and explored the channel's upcoming sixth anniversary. Enjoy! www.patreon.com/posts/criter...

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 31/03/2025

2025 Film Viewing Diary: #24 Next up on my third day at Sundance was Eva Victor's stunning SORRY, BABY. This was such a phenomenal film - so beautifully written, directed, and performed. 1/

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 31/03/2025

2025 Film Viewing Diary: #23 I started off my third day at Sundance with Cole Webley's feature film debut - OMAHA. I almost really loved this film. It has so much going for it - really beautiful performances and a quiet and nuanced story about what it means to struggle in America today. 1/

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 31/03/2025

Film Viewing Diary: #22 I ended my second day at this year's virtual Sundance with Pasqual Gutierrez and Ben Mullinkosson's charming work of auto-fiction, SERIOUS PEOPLE. 1/

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 24/03/2025

Film Viewing Diary: #21 The next film on my second day of Sundance was Rashad Frett’s incarceration drama, RICKY. This is an incredibly moving and gut-wrenching film about the struggles of a young Black man to reintegrate back into his community after being released from prison. 1/

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 24/03/2025

Film Viewing Diary: #20 I started my second day at Sundance with another one of my favorite films of the festival, Charlie Shackleton's ZODIAC KILLER PROJECT. Under the guise of a true crime documentary, Shackleton hit my sweet spot for experimental and deconstructionist documentary filmmaking. 1/

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 24/03/2025

Film View Diary: #19 After a few weeks of medical appointments and a full workload, I'm back to catching up on posting film reviews. I ended my first day at Sundance with Evan Twohy's BUBBLE & SQUEAK. This was my first true disappointment of the festival. 1/

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 02/03/2025

It's Oscar night, so that means it's time to post my annual reflection on this year's nominees, including my list of predictions and preferences, as well as possible spoilers and snubs! cinemacocktail.com/2025-oscar-p...

cinemacocktail.com

Cinema Cocktail | 2025 Oscar Predictions and Preferences, Spoilers and Snubs

Josh shares his reflections on the 2025 Academy Awards, including his predictions and preferences, as well as possible spoilers and snubs.

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 28/02/2025

The latest bonus episode of The Criterion Channel Surfing Podcast is live for Patreon supporters! Michael Hutchins and I discuss the March Criterion Channel releases, Criterion disc announcements, and our picks and predictions for the Oscars. Enjoy! www.patreon.com/posts/criter...

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 26/02/2025

2025 Film Viewing Diary: #18 My second feature at this year's Online Sundance Film Festival was Hailey Gates's ATROPIA. There was so much promise to this film. 1/

A still from the film Atropia. A woman wearing a hijab is wailing in grief.

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 26/02/2025

2025 Film Viewing Diary: #17 I kicked off my 2025 Sundance viewing with what ended up being my favorite film of the festival - Amanda Kramer's BY DESIGN. I know this film won't work for everyone, but I found myself completely on its wavelength. 1/

A still from By Design. Two women caress a wooden chair while a third woman looks on, longingly.

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 25/02/2025

2025 Film Viewing Diary: #16 Toward the end of January, I caught up with another Spirit Award film, the incredibly compelling immigration documentary HUMMINGBIRDS, directed by Silvia Del Carmen Castaños and Estefanía Contreras. 1/

A still from the film Hummingbirds. Two young women sit at a bingo table, wearing novelty sunglasses.

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 24/02/2025

2025 Film Viewing Diary: #15 Next up in my Spirit Awards Viewing was Tim Fehlbaum's SEPTEMBER 5. On a pure craft level, there are a few impressive sequences here. 1/

A still from September 5. Men and women gather around a shortwave radio to listen to police chatter.

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 22/02/2025

2025 Film Viewing Diary: #14 Next up for my Spirit Award viewing was Marielle Heller's adaptation of the novel NIGHTBITCH. Due to all of the dismissive reviews, I really wasn't looking forward to the film, so I was completely surprised by how much I enjoyed it. 1/

A still from the film Nightbitch. A woman sits on the sidewalk, two dogs beside her.

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 21/02/2025

2025 Film Viewing Diary: #13 As part of my Spirit Award viewing at the end of January, I also caught up with Morrisa Maltz's exceptional coming-of-age film JAZZY. This is such a vibrant, lovely film. 1/

A still from the film Jazzy. A teenage girl stands outside and looks off into the distance.

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 21/02/2025

2025 TV Viewing Diary: #8 At the end of January, Melanie and I also finished watching the first season of Sharon Horgan, Brett Baer, and Dave Finkel's BAD SISTERS. This is such a funny, delightful, and intelligently written series. 1/

A still from the first season of Bad Sisters. Four women stand inside of a closet and look out at a fifth women, out of frame, who has caught them in the act of discussing a secret.

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 19/02/2025

2025 Film Viewing Diary: #12 Toward the end of January, I continued my Indie Spirit viewing with Alonso Ruizpalacios's immigration/kitchen dramedy, LA COCINA. I really wanted to love this. There are so many elements that could have made this a film that I would absolutely adore. 1/

A still from La Cocina. A man leans against his kitchen workstation, looking on in frustration. In the background, other kitchen staff are working.

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Josh Hornbeck @joshhornbeck.bsky.social · 14/02/2025

2025 TV Show Viewing Diary: #7 Melanie and I recently finished the second season of Mike White’s brilliant HBO series, THE WHITE LOTUS. While it doesn’t have the same emphasis on power and privilege… 1/

A still from the second season of The White Lotus. Two couples walk out of an Italian vacation resort.

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