Over the past decade, the medium of podcasts has grown into a multibillion-dollar industry, attracting celebrities, journalists, and everyday people due to the relative freedom the platform provides. As podcasting has grown bigger, it has naturally seeped into other mediums, with the show Only Murders in the Building being the latest and greatest example.
Now, actor/writer/director B.J. Novak has made what might be the definitive movie about podcasting with Vengeance. An unrepentant serial dater, Ben Manalowitz (Novak) is a writer/aspiring podcaster in New York City who pitches his ideas to Eloise (Issa Rae), a producer at a podcasting company.
When Abilene Shaw (Lio Tipton), a girl Ben had dated casually, dies of a drug overdose, Ben’s presence on her social media leads her family to assume they were more serious than they were. Guilted into coming to her funeral in Texas, Ben soon finds himself drawn into their world, especially when Abilene’s brother Ty (Boyd Holbrook) suggests that Abilene’s death was not accidental. He starts recording everything to not only get to the bottom of the potential mystery, but to document a way of life he knows little about.
The film, the first movie written and directed by Novak, has an interesting tone. It’s not a full-on comedy, although there are a lot of comedic moments. While it has some heartfelt scenes in its relatively short 94 minutes, the inherent cynicism of Ben keeps it from becoming too sentimental. And the story introduces a degree of mystery, but it never becomes consumed by that part.
What Novak seems interested in more than anything is examining the way people from different parts of the country interact. While perhaps not the most profound investigation of the human condition ever put on screen, the film is much deeper than one might expect. Novak doesn’t eschew Texas stereotypes like religion, guns, and Whataburger, but he doles them out in small increments, focusing more on who people are than what they represent.
And so while Abilene’s sisters Paris (Isabella Amara) and Kansas City (Dove Cameron) are seemingly shallow on the surface, they also are worldly enough to know about the works of Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. Quentin Sellers (Ashton Kutcher), a small-town record producer with whom Abilene worked, gives off a creepy vibe, but he’s also among the most erudite people in the whole film.
Novak obviously knows what type of role fits him best, and he does extremely well as the jaded-but-curious Ben. Holbrook steals the film as Ty, a potentially one-note character that becomes much more in his hands. Rae makes the most of a part that has her mostly talking on the phone. And all of the actors who make up Abilene’s family provide nice color to the story.
Vengeance is much tamer than its title would suggest, and it’s all the better for it. It does what podcasts often do best, diving deep into a particular aspect of American life, providing revelations that can surprise both the podcaster and the audience.
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Vengeance opens in theaters on July 29.
If you've got a true crime addiction (and don't we all?), here's another podcast to add to your list. Final Days on Earth comes from investigative journalist Claire St. Amant, a development producer for CBS News who just happens to be a former CultureMap Dallas editor.
St. Amant has produced over 20 episodes of the true-crime television show 48 Hours since she joined CBS News in 2014, along with a handful of stories for 60 Minutes. But she began researching her latest subject while at CultureMap, where Texas-based murders and mysteries were often part of her beat.
Final Days on Earth premiered on April 20 and focuses on Dammion Heard, a college wrestler who vanished after a party in 2014 in Gunnison, Colorado. After a six-month investigation, Gunnison Police ruled Heard's death a suicide, but his friends and family have always wondered if foul play was involved.
The 12-part podcast from Cold Case Productions and PodcastOne covers his baffling disappearance through police interviews with witnesses from the party and Dammion's friends in 2014, as well as original interviews conducted in real time as the podcast is being produced. It debuted at No. 30 on the true crime podcast charts, and is sure to keep climbing.
We chatted with St. Amant about her foray into podcasting, why this case has stuck with her all these years, and why she's hopeful that new witnesses will come forward to shed light on Heard's death.
CultureMap: How did you first become interested in the Dammion Heard case?
CSA: I was actually the managing editor of CultureMap Dallas when Dammion's story first came across my desk in April 2014. It was a compelling story to me because of how suddenly Dammion's life was turned upside down. One day, he's a rising star on the wrestling team, with tons of friends and close relationships with his family, and then he just disappears out of thin air.
The college freshman walked into a party and had no idea it would be the last night of his life. It's just such a tragic turn of events on a seemingly normal night that I had to know more about who Dammion was and what events led up to his disappearance and death.
I never imagined my reporting journey would last this long — seven years and counting — but believe I'm closer than ever to getting the answers that Dammion's family has been looking for ever since his death.
CM: How did the podcast come about?
CSA: I was contacted by a recruiter in 2018 about hosting a true crime podcast and she pitched me on a bunch of different cases, but none of them felt like the right fit for me. I already focus on true crime cases for CBS News, so I have a pretty high threshold of what kinds of cases that I find interesting.
There was a local newspaper poll that came out after Gunnison Police ruled Dammion's case as a suicide, and 85 percent of respondents said they did not believe that police were justified in closing the investigation. I realized it wasn't only Dammion's family who had questions about the suicide ruling, and I wanted to see if I could help find some answers.
Dammion's story had so much material — the Gunnison Police Department conducted 47 recorded interviews with witnesses in the case — and it had never been heard by the public. When I got ahold of that raw audio, it was a jaw dropping moment. I realized it was a podcast waiting to happen, and I wanted to be the one to put it together.
CM: What extra reporting have you done for the podcast?
CSA: I've conducted over 35 interviews of my own for the podcast, and in June 2020, I roadtripped to Gunnison and spent a week reporting on location. The cornerstone of my reporting was putting together a timeline of Dammion's final days on earth and the ones following his disappearance, before police found his body.
The police file on Dammion's case was 187 pages long, but it was just a listing of individual reports from three different investigators. No one had ever taken the time to go through everything and put all the events in order.
Using eyewitness statements, bank records, cellphone data, and information from Western Colorado University about Dammion's ID card usage, I constructed a timeline that paints a much clearer picture than anyone has ever seen in this case.
CM: What was the experience of putting it together like?
CSA: It was a lot harder and took a lot longer than I ever could have imagined when I started the process back in 2018. But I've learned so much about every aspect of podcast production. In the beginning, it took me a week to put together one episode, and it was so stressful handling all the technical aspects of audio editing. But around the third episode, I really hit my stride and got into a rhythm.
CM: Did you discover anything new while making it?
CSA: Absolutely. You'll have to listen to the full season to get all the details, but suffice it to say I've found new witnesses and consulted experts from all over the world, as close as McKinney and as far away as Germany, to get insight and answers that no one else has about Dammion's case.
CM: Do you think this case could benefit from increased exposure and renewed interest from the public?
CSA: Definitely. There are key witnesses in Dammion's case who have never been identified, even though there are vehicle descriptions and other pieces of identifying information available. We need the public's help to get these descriptions out there and hopefully compel someone to come forward and share what they know about Dammion's case.
CM: What are some of your favorite podcasts?
CSA: Oh man, so many! The classics for me will always be season one of Serial and season one of Up and Vanished. More recently, my favorite podcasts of 2020-2021 were season two of American Nightmare;Murder in a Safe Place with Paul Wagner; and Tom Brown's Body, the first podcast from Skip Hollandsworth at Texas Monthly.
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New episodes of Final Days on Earth with Claire St. Amantare released every Tuesday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all other podcast listening platforms. The 12-episode series runs through July 6.
Everything is bigger in Texas, and that includes the state itself. At 268,597 square miles, it's a lot to traverse — but luckily there's plenty to see, do, eat, and drink along the way.
No matter what kind of trip you're planning around Texas, Marriott Bonvoy Hotels can be the launchpad for your next travel or culinary adventure. Its hotels and resorts are as diverse as the Lone Star State and offer amazing culinary, spa, and destination experiences in each city.
Plan your next trip from this guide below:
See Austin from the water.Photo courtesy of Marriott International
Austin
At a glance: Known as the Live Music Capital of the World, Austin is also home to the State Capitol. University of Texas at Austin helps "Keep Austin Weird," but it's also a growing tech hot spot with a vibrant, culinary-focused atmosphere.
Must-see spots: Ladybird Lake, Texas Capitol, Barton Springs Pool, Zilker Botanical Garden, Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail, Pennybacker Bridge, Blanton Museum, ACL Live at Moody Theater, Rainey Street, UT Austin.
Must-try eats & sips: Head to the new Dean’s Steakhouse Austin at JW Marriott Austin for a special occasion or business dinner, and try the Wagyu beef cuts in addition to an acclaimed raw bar and generous happy hour.
Travel north to Renaissance Austin’s restaurant, Knotty Deck & Bar, for an urban retreat with patio views of the Texas Hill Country. It serves elevated Austin cuisine with a spacious backyard for bean bags and other outdoor games to enjoy with family and friends.
Austin easily features the highest density of rooftop bars in the state, including the popular Zanzibar, a tropical oasis serving up inventive Tiki cocktails. Toast to “golden hour” nightly at Otopia Rooftop Lounge with craft cocktails high above the nearby university.
Must-attend events: SXSW Conference & Festivals (March), Blues on the Green (all summer long), Pride in Local Music Festival (June), Austin City Limits (October), Austin Film Festival (October).
Must-experience vibes: Get your retro music fix with unique vinyl record programs at the Otis Hotel Austin and the W Hotel Austin.
Take the whole fam to Las Colinas Resort.Photo courtesy of Marriott International
Dallas-Fort Worth
At a glance: A pair of cities that have undergone true transformation, beginning as cattle hubs and railroad centers and blossoming into Texas' current window to the world with incredible art museums and performing arts centers (the largest arts district in the nation, in fact).
Must-see spots: Dallas Museum of Art, Katy Trail, Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, Dallas Arboretum & Botanical Gardens, Reunion Tower, Fair Park, Meyerson Symphony Center, Kimbell Art Museum, the Deep Ellum and Bishop Arts neighborhoods, Mesquite Rodeo Arena, Fort Worth Stockyards, NorthPark Center.
Must-try eats & sips: Dallas’ dining scene is highlighted by Margaret’s, the restaurant at the JW Marriott Dallas Arts District that's opening in June. It offers farm-to-fork ingredients in a dramatic setting with sweeping views of the city and a lively bar with handcrafted cocktails from seasoned mixologists.
Head to Uptown Dallas for its sophisticated restaurant, shopping, and boutique fitness scene highlighted by Good Graces in Marriott Uptown Dallas, a bright and airy brasserie where you can indulge in fresh oysters, charcuterie boards, crisp salads, and a variety of steak and seafood dishes.
In the northwest suburb of Irving, visit LAW at Las Colinas Resort to experience the very best of land, air, and water elements, alongside locally sourced ingredients. Mesa Mezcal at the Westin Irving is the spot for modern Mexican fare, curated mezcal cocktails, and YogaRitas on the patio, a partnership series with YogaSix Studio.
Head west to Fort Worth to dine al fresco at 97 West, where a Southwestern ambiance beckons adventurous spirits and serves up classic Texas heritage dishes.
In the heart of Cowtown, experience the convivial dining culture of Central and South America at Toro Toro in the Worthington Renaissance Fort Worth. Slip outside afterward to take in a movie on its rooftop deck via a partnership with Rooftop Cinemas, complete with a food truck for snacks and drinks.
Marriott Bonvoy’s restaurants aim to incorporate local and regional breweries in their beverage menus whenever possible, so ask your bartender for his or her favorite brew. Explore DFW's robust brewery scene, from Martin House Brewing Company to Deep Ellum Brewing Co., Celestial Beer Works to Manhattan Project Beer Co., and Peticolas Brewing to Texas Ale Project.
Must-attend events: Dallas Pride Parade (June), Homegrown Music & Arts Festival (June), Riverfront Jazz Fest (September), State Fair of Texas (September-October), Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo (January-February).
The best way to see Houston? From a rooftop.Photo courtesy of Marriott International
Houston
At a glance: Founded as a bustling commercial center and shipping port in the mid-1800s, with major influence from Charlotte Baldwin, known as the "Mother of Houston," today H-Town is statistically the most diverse major city in Texas with a thriving gastronomic scene, world-class museums, and the Houston Space Center.
Must-see spots: The Museum District (18 institutions within walking distance; includes the Houston Museum of Natural Science and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston), The Galleria, Houston Aquarium, Buffalo Bayou Park, POST Houston entertainment district, Chinatown, Houston Graffiti Park, Discovery Green, Houston Zoo.
Must-try eats & sips: Located inside the Magnolia Houston, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel, is The Dispatch, which pays homage to its building’s rich history as the home of the Houston Post-Dispatch paper. The Art Deco vibes complement the eatery’s contemporary American cuisine and enticing cocktails.
After a day of shopping at The Galleria mall, stop by White Oak Kitchen + Drinks for a collection of fresh ingredients, a curated wine and cocktail menu, and weekend brunch.
Explore Houston’s culinary melting pot with an experience at Xin Chao, a modern Vietnamese restaurant owned by MasterChef winner Christina Ha. Locals also hail Killen’s BBQ as some of the best in the state.
Houston visitors will also find food trucks dotted around the city, offering inventive cuisine with global fusion showcasing Houston’s diversity.
Must-attend events: Freedom Over Texas Festival (July), Houston Restaurant Week (August), Fiestas Patrias (September 2023), Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (February-March).
Must-experience vibes: Stay cool in the Houston heat this summer by diving into the city's best urban party playground: the iconic, Texas-shaped lazy river at the Altitude Rooftop & Pool at Marriott Marquis Houston.
It's always a party on the San Antonio River Walk.Photo courtesy of Marriott International
San Antonio
At a glance: Remember the Alamo! Explore San Antonio’s famed River Walk or journey further south to the San Antonio Missions National Park, where some of the Lone Star State's most pivotal moments occurred. Northwest of the city, treat your family to a thrill at world-class amusement parks.
Discover the emerging arts and culinary scene while touring historic, trendy neighborhoods like the impressive King William District, dotted with colonial mansions, and Dignowity Hill, sporting the Hays Street Bridge and a deep-rooted sense of community.
Must-see spots: The Alamo, the San Antonio Missions, River Walk, San Antonio Botanical Gardens, San Antonio Zoo, Southtown, Brackenridge Park, SeaWorld San Antonio, Six Flags Fiesta Texas, Historic Pearl Brewery, Tower of the Americas, La Villita, Market Square.
Must-try eats: Check out incredible South Texas fare on the River Walk such as Tributary restaurant in the San Antonio Marriott Rivercenter Hotel, with seasonally rotating menus and ingredients sourced from regional farming partners and purveyors.
Escape to the Texas Hill Country at 18 Oaks for an outstanding quality of meats and seafood prepared with style and expertise, ideally enjoyed after a day of golf at TPC San Antonio or a splashy time at the nine-acre waterpark at the JW San Antonio Hill Country Resort.
Take the kids or pups and head to the Historic Pearl Brewery, where you'll find everything from upscale bistros to an array of dining choices inside the Food Hall at Bottling Dept. Enjoy a picnic on the green spaces and a family-favorite splash pad while taking in the quaint European vibes in this special area of Alamo City.
Must-sip drinks: Visit the new 1 Watson rooftop deck atop the AC Hotel San Antonio Riverwalk for downtown views and a cocktail or two by a fire pit.
Photo courtesy of Marriott International
Gather at Knotty Deck & Bar in Austin.
Hop on the city’s shared bike or scooter systems to explore local-favorite breweries and coffee shops such as Merit Coffee, Freetail Brewing, Weathered Souls Brewing, and Alamo Beer Co.
Must-attend events: Fiesta San Antonio (April), Pride San Antonio (June), Día de los Muertos (November), San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo (February).
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Comprised of 30 unique brands, Marriott Bonvoy is a travel program that goes beyond rewards to connect members to more of what they love through hotel and resort stays, elevated dining, and endless experiences.
Marriott Bonvoy member benefits include free membership, special member rates, ability to earn and redeem points, contactless mobile and contactless service, free WiFi, and more.
On the surface, calling a horror movie The Boogeyman seems trite and lazy. A generic term for any scary and mysterious being, it has long been used in all kinds of storytelling. But when you see that the film is based on a Stephen King short story and written by the team behind A Quiet Place, more attention must be paid.
After a supremely creepy and disturbing opening scene, the film introduces its main characters: Will Harper (Chris Messina), a therapist, and his two daughters, Sadie (Sophie Thatcher) and Sawyer (Vivien Lyra Blair). The three are grieving the recent death of their wife/mother, with each coping in different ways. Will is now distant, Sadie sees her own therapist while still lashing out, and Sawyer must sleep with many lights on.
A visit to Will by Lester Billings (David Dastmalchian), a very disturbed man, seems to invite in a creature that thrives in darkness. That creature slowly tortures the two daughters psychologically, starting with Sawyer before moving on to Sadie. With Will checked out in general and Sawyer unable to help much due to her age, it’s up to Sadie to figure out what is happening and how to make it stop.
Directed by Rob Savage and written by Scott Beck, Bryan Woods, and Mark Heyman, the film takes the less-is-more approach, keeping the monster hidden in the shadows for much of the film. Scary things hiding in the dark is a tried-and-true method of horror films, but it works especially well here, chiefly because that terror is often seen through the eyes of the youngest daughter, Sawyer.
Putting kids 10 or younger in peril is not what most horror films typically do, but the effect of doing so is palpable, especially if you’re a parent. The opening scene sets the tone, and every scene involving Sawyer is as tense as you can get. Most of them involve her keeping a wary eye on her closet door or using a light-up model of the moon to expose dark corners, and her feelings of fear transfer easily to the audience.
The stories of Sadie and Will are a little harder to suss out. Sadie gets the most screentime, with awkward conversations with friends and investigations into the creature deemed the most important plot points. What the family was like before mom’s death is not explored much, so it’s difficult to understand Will’s state of mind, with him seeming to almost completely abandon his kids in their time of need.
Thatcher, who plays a character with a similar demeanor on Showtime’s Yellowjackets, does well in the de facto lead role, although the part is more low-key than your usual horror protagonist. Blair, who played a young Princess Leia on the Disney+ show Obi-Wan Kenobi, steals the movie every time she’s on screen; few kids her age could come close to what she accomplishes. Messina is a steady presence, but his character’s personality does him no favors.
By combining familiar elements, a story about a broken family, and some slow burn scares, The Boogeyman rises above its pedestrian title. It maintains its level of dread almost from beginning to end, a lesson that other horror filmmakers would be wise to learn.
Photo by Patti Perret
Sophie Thatcher in The Boogeyman.
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The Boogeyman opens in theaters on June 2.
