Mexico’s avenging Mother Courage, an interview with the king of horror movies and why middle-aged women have rediscovered raving

Composite: Harol Bustos; Philip Cheung/The Guardian Composite: Harol Bustos; Philip Cheung/The GuardianNeed something brilliant to read this weekend? Here are six of our favourite pieces from the last seven days1. ‘She was almost a Batman figure’: Mexico’s avenging Mother Courage Illustration: Harol BustosAfter her son disappeared, Isabel Miranda de Wallace swore she would bring the culprits to justice. She became a national hero. But did she go too far? Sam Edwards told the gripping story about one of Mexico’s most shocking miscarriages of justice of recent years.Read more2. ‘Everything I know about evil I learned in that small town’: John Carpenter on terrifying the world with Halloween, The Thing and The FogJohn Carpenter. Photograph: Philip Cheung/The Guardian

double quotation markIf you really want to know the truth about alien encounters, I think that my movies are more realistic about what will happen. Think of the settlers who came to the United States and their encounters with the Indians. It didn’t really go so well for the Indians, OK?

Steve Rose interviewed the king of horror and sci-fi movies who, at 78, is as much of a rebel as ever. They discussed creativity, compromise, aliens and how he became addicted to movie-making.Read more3. The rave secret: why middle-aged women are larging it – and seeing big health benefitsDancing all night can be a panacea. Photograph: Posed by models; Dan Dalton/Getty Images