Wayward Pines
Season 1 Episode 4: “One of Our Senior Realtors Has Chosen to Retire”
Directed by Zal Batmanglij
Written by Steven Levenson
Created by Chad Hodge
Starring Matt Dillion, Carla Gugino, Toby Jones, Shannyn Sossamon, Melissa Leo, Hope Davis, Reed Diamond, Terrence Howard
FOX
Air Date: Thursday, June 4th, 2015, 9:00pm

“You think you want to know the truth, but you don’t. It’s worse than you can ever imagine.” Those are the last words of Sheriff Pope (Terrence Howard) before his body is snatched up by some unseen thing from the other side of the electrified fence. With all the craziness in the first three episodes, Wayward Pines went from Twilight Zone-style paranoia to full blown Lovecraftian monster horror. I literally have no clue where this show is heading, and I love it.

Wayward Pines
Season 1 Episode 3: “Our Town, Our Law”
Directed by Zal Batmanglij
Written and Created by Chad Hodge
Starring Matt Dillion, Carla Gugino, Toby Jones, Shannyn Sossamon, Melissa Leo, Hope Davis, Reed Diamond, Terrence Howard
FOX
Air Date: Thursday, May 28th, 2015, 9:00pm

In only three episodes, Wayward Pines has got me more twisted than a LOST/X-Files crossover. Secret Service Agent Ethan Burke (Matt Dillon) is trapped in this tiny Idaho town, caged by a giant electric fence, and a horde of Stepford Wives-like residents. His only ally is Bev (Juliette Lewis), who has been trapped in the town over a year. Together, they plot an escape, but things go awry when Bev breaks Wayward Pines rules and discusses her past (a daughter). Soon, the whole town has her strung up Kangaroo Court style, and evil Sheriff Pope (Terrence Howard) kills her.

Spoiler alert for this week’s episode.

The East
Director: Zal Batmanglij
Writer(s): Zal Batmanglij, Brit Marling
Cast: Brit Marling, Alexander Skarsgård, Ellen Page, Patricia Clarkson
Fox Searchlight Pictures
Rated R | 116 minutes
Release Date: June 21, 2013

Directed by Zal Batmanglij, The East stars Brit Marling as Sarah Ross, a former FBI agent who becomes an undercover operative for the private intelligence firm Hiller/Brood. Sarah’s latest assignment: infiltrate The East, an anarchist collective that targets multinational corporations and their corrupt CEOs.

Alexander SkarsgÃ¥rd and Ellen Page co-star as Benji and Lizzy, leaders of The East who use “jams” to expose pharmaceutical companies and energy conglomerates that destroy the planet. These agents of chaos aren’t just environmental activists, but victims of the system. Take for instance the East’s doctor, played by Toby Kebbell, who used a “miracle” antibiotic while on an aid mission to Africa. The drug ravaged his nervous system; he has to use superglue to treat wounds because his hands are too shaky to make stitches.

Sound of My Voice
Directed by: Zal Batmanglij
Written by: Brit Marling, Zal Batmanglij
Starring: Christopher Denham, Nicole Vicius, Brit Marling, Richard Wharton
Distributed by: Fox Searchlight Pictures
Release Date: May 25, 2012

“Somewhere in the valley, there is a woman living in a basement. She’s actually amassing followers. these people believe that she will actually lead them to salvation, or whatever. And yes, she’s dangerous – but we have to see this thing through. All the way.”

Sound of My Voice is a suspenseful, mesmerizing work by first-time feature director Zal Batmanglij.

The film follows Los Angeles journalist Peter (Christopher Denham) and his girlfriend Lorna (Nicole Vicius) as they attempt to infiltrate a cult in hopes of exposing its leader as a charlatan.