In the first installment of our Sci-Fi Classics Series, we explore two foundational science fiction films that helped to define the genre: Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey and Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind. These legendary filmmakers shaped the language of modern sci-fi, and, here, we break down what makes each film so special.
In the second half of the episode, we discuss Spielberg’s wide-ranging influence on the genre, our personal favorite films of his, and the connective tissues that run throughout his work.
With the trailer release for Spielberg’s newest film, Disclosure Day, we also dig into our theories on the movies themes, how the aliens might fit into the story, who the antagonists may be, and how the religious undertones of this trailer echo elements of Spielberg’s other extraterrestrial films.
Chapters
00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:09 Episode Overview
00:02:12 2001: A Space Odyssey
00:02:26 Background Overview with Paul
00:04:17 The Influence on Star Wars and Other Movies
00:06:00 Some People Will Not Like It
00:11:39 The Impressiveness of the Filmmaking Shots
00:15:41 The Novel
00:18:20 HAL & Artificial Intelligence (AI)
00:25:35 The Monolith
00:26:18 The Inspiration of the Sci-Fi Classics Series
00:28:06 The Ending - Annihilation & Charlie & the Chocolate Factory
00:32:39 The Impact
00:36:53 Close Encounters of the Third Kind
00:37:05 Background Overview with Paul
00:39:30 Dan’s Review
00:40:45 Spielberg's Influence
00:42:48 Alien Communication Through Lights & Music
00:45:25 The Characters & Actors
00:49:40 The Optimism
00:52:49 Theatrical Cut v Special Edition v Director’s Cut
00:54:47 Favorite Scenes, Sequences, & Shots
01:01:51 Our Favorite Spielberg Movies
01:05:59 Steven Spielberg’s Analysis of the Family Unit
01:08:26 Columbia Pictures & Final Thoughts
01:10:04 Disclosure Day Trailer & War of the Worlds Discussion
01:18:15 Theories on the Aliens
01:21:42 The Eye Changing Scene (with Stargate Universe Reference)
01:23:02 Religion & Aliens
01:25:14 Paramount Ownership of Indiana Jones Distribution Rights
01:25:51 Episode Wrap
Welcome to our latest Blind Spots episode, where we finally watch the movies we absolutely should have seen by now. This week, we’re diving into two modern cult favorites: Insidious and Jennifer’s Body. We break down the casts, themes, legacy, characters, and why these films still spark conversation years later. Plus: James Wan & Leigh Whannell’s partnership, the art of the jump scare, and the Emo Era’s influence on Jennifer’s Body.
We also cover a massive week in film news, including updates on Heat 2, Ryan Coogler’s X-Files & Sinners projects, the Paul Dano/Matthew Lillard/Owen Wilson drama with Quentin Tarantino, Mike Flanagan's new Exorcist movie with Scarlet Johansson, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, and morealong with a stacked Physical Media Showcase.
Chapters
00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:09 Episode Overview
00:01:04 Insidious Overview
00:01:46 Dan Review & Discussion
00:05:36 Patrick’s Analysis
00:08:01 James Wan’s Relationship with Leigh Whannel
00:09:20 The Cast & Characters (Lin Shaye, Rose Byrne, Patrick Wilson)
00:15:32 Final Thoughts
00:17:34 The Influence & Legacy (Universal ride, sequels, The Conjuring)
00:20:26 The Ending & Elise’s Fate
00:25:57 Blumhouse, Atomic Monster, & Aquaman
00:28:38 Jennifer’s Body Overview
00:28:47 Director Karyn Kasuma (The Invitation)
00:29:24 Cast (Megan Fox, Amanda Seyfried, Adam Brody)
00:29:51 Plot
00:30:27 Initial Thoughts
00:32:28 Marketing on Megan Fox’s Sex Appeal
00:34:05 The Emo Era
00:40:25 The Social Groups & Dynamics of the 2000’s
00:41:56 Fox Atomic & Final Thoughts
00:42:35 The News
00:42:41 Ryan Coogler, The X-Files, & Sinners
00:48:59 Heat 2 Officially in Development with Script & Leonardo DiCaprio Confirmations
00:52:19 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple Reviews are very positive
00:53:10 Scarlett Johansson Cast in Mike Flanagan’s new Exorcist Movie
00:56:20 Matthew Lillard, Paul Dano, Owen Wilson, & Quentin Tarantino
00:59:38 Physical Media Showcase
00:59:43 Dan - Shudder 10th Anniversary Box Set
01:01:32 Patrick - The Keep 4k from Vinegar Syndrome
01:04:44 1983 Episode Preview
01:06:51 Episode Wrap
If you enjoyed the episode, be sure to subscribe and leave a rating, it really helps keep the reels turning.
Welcome back to The Bark Knight Podcast!In this episode, we’re counting down our Top 10 Favorite Movies of 2023, a packed year filled with surprise hits, massive blockbusters, unforgettable indies, and plenty of genre gems.
We compare picks, debate the standouts, dive into craft, performances, and cultural impact, and wrap it all with a massive list of Honorable Mentions. If you love movies, this is a big one.
Chapters
00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:09 Episode Overview
00:00:34 Top 10 Disclaimer
00:01:35 10 - The Boy and the Heron, Super Mario Bros., Strange Darling
00:09:27 09 - Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, The Creator, Evil Dead Rise
00:16:11 08 - Evil Dead Rise, American Fiction
00:22:33 07 - Talk to Me, The Iron Claw, Oppenheimer
00:27:53 06 - Oppenheimer, Trap Tangent, The Killer
00:38:28 05 - Sisu, Godzilla Minus One, John Wick 4
00:43:41 04 - Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Poor Things, When Evil Lurks
00:52:58 03 - John Wick 4, The Holdovers (with Christmas convo), Talk to Me
01:00:55 02 - Guardians of the Galaxy 3, The Boy and the Heron, Godzilla Minus One
01:09:43 01 - Godzilla Minus One, Past Lives, The Equalizer 3
01:23:49 Honorable Mentions - M3gan, No One Will Save You, Somebody I Used to Know, You Hurt My Feelings, Asteroid City, Barbie, Dream Scenario, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Creed III, Extraction 2, V\H\S\85, The Pope’s Exorcist, Tetris, The Boogeyman, It Lives Inside, Air, Shooting Stars, Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning, Woman of the Year, Ant-Man & the Wasp, Quantumania, The Flash, Aquaman 2, Knock at the Cabin, Cocaine Bear
01:30:49 Looking Forward
01:33:13 Episode Wrap
What were YOUR favorite movies of 2023?
Drop your Top 10 in the comments, we always love comparing lists!
If you enjoy the show, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and leave a rating so more movie fans can join the community!
🎬 Listen to more episodes at: https://barkknightmedia.com/
We’re diving into the new The Running Man movie, breaking down its production, setup, budget, reviews, and whether it lives up to the legacy. We also talk the cast including Glenn Powell, Lee Pace, Coleman Domingo, Josh Brolin, Katy O’Brian, and the new lineup of runners and hunters.
We also cover major genre news including:
Alien: Earth renewed for Season 2 - with Predator & Terminator talk
Insidious 6 wraps filming and marks Lin Shaye’s final acting role
Disney+ announces AI-generated user content tools
PLUS our weekly Physical Media Showcase
Independence Day VHS
Criterion Collection Sorcerer 4K Edition (with Vertical Limit & Lost comparisons)
Stick around for reviews, reactions, and plenty of surprises along the way!
Chapters
00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:09 Episode Overview
00:01:13 The Running Man Production Breakdown
00:03:49 The Setup of the Gameshow
00:06:05 Budget & Box Office
00:07:08 Reviews (IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, Metascore, Cinemascore, Threads)
00:09:03 Dan & Friends Thoughts
00:13:47 Patrick’s Thoughts
00:18:45 The Cast
00:18:48 Lee Pace
00:21:12 Coleman Domingo, (with Jamie Lawson & Katy O’Brian)
00:23:08 Josh Brolin
00:27:52 The Other Runners (Katy O’Brian & Martin Herlihy)
00:31:13 The Hunters
00:32:42 David Zayas (Dexter, The Bear) Cameo
00:33:11 News
00:33:13 Alien: Earth Renewed for Season 2 (with Predator & Terminator Talk)
00:37:42 Insidious 6 Wraps Filming, will be Lin Shaye’s Final Acting Role
00:39:52 Pay-Per-View
00:40:46 Dan Hasn’t Seen Any Insidious Movies
00:44:49 Disney CEO, Bob Iger, Announces New AI-Generated User Content Feature for Disney+
00:48:08 Physical Media Showcase
00:48:14 Dan - Independence Day VHS
00:49:42 Patrick - Criterion Collection Sorcerer 4K Edition (with Vertical Limit & Lost Comparison)
00:54:41 Episode Wrap
This episode is nearly all dedicated to Predator: Badlands, the latest movie from the Predator franchise from 20th Century Studios. We break down the cast and crew, the video games inspirations, the updates to the lore and mythology, and even take some time to talk about the previous entries in the franchise including Prey, Predator: Killer of Killers, The Predator, and the Alien vs Predator movies. We also review the easter eggs to other movies and the tie-ins to the greater Alien and Predator worlds.
We finish the episode off with the latest film and industry news and the latest pulls from our Physical Media Showcase.
Chapters
00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:09 Episode Overview
00:01:05 Predator: Badlands Background
00:01:12 Writer/Director Dan Trachtenberg (10 Cloverfield Lane, Prey, Predator: Killer of Kilelrs) & Patrick Aison (Prey)
00:01:49 Budget & Box Office
00:03:07 Publication Reviews (IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, Metascore, Cinemascore, Threads & the socials)
00:04:52 Dan’s Review
00:09:02 Patrick’s Review
00:12:39 The Planet & the Filming Locations
00:13:55 Box Office Second Week Predications with The Running Man, Keeper, & Now You See Me, Now You Don’t Releases
00:16:06 State of the Alien & Predator Franchises Since Disney’s Acquisition
00:18:38 The Script Development Process
00:20:26 The Predator Reception
00:23:28 The Synths & The Video Games
00:24:51 Elle Fanning’s Duel Roles
00:26:12 The Comedic Elements
00:27:37 The Soundtrack - Sarah Schachner (Prey) & Benjamin Wallfisch (Alien: Romulus)
00:28:45 Alien vs Predator, The Lore, & The Monsters
00:33:00 Video Game Inspiration (Shadow of the Colossus, Monster Hunter, Halo, Ratchet & Clank)
00:37:23 Complaints of the “Disneyfication” of the Predator Franchise
00:38:30 Spoiler Territory
00:41:40 The Role of the Brothers in Prey & Predator: Badlands
00:45:05 Independence Day Easter Egg
00:46:51 The Future of the Franchise
00:50:55 The News
00:50:59 Pan’s Labyrinth Getting Re-Released in Theatres in 2026
00:52:25 Keeper Releasing in Theatres this Week
00:55:17 Joesph Kosinski is in Talks with Michael B Jordan and Austin Butler in Talks for Miami Vice Remake
00:57:13 Gremlins 3 Announcement with Chris Columbus, Steven Spielberg, and the Writers of Final Destination: Bloodlines
01:00:47 Physical Media Showcase
01:00:54 Dan’s Anaconda Blu-Ray Steelbook
01:03:16 Patrick’s Predator & Predator 2 DVD Collector’s Editions
01:07:13 Episode Wrap
This episode is dedicated to some of our favorite movies that we think remain largely unseen compared to their greatness. Dan’s picks include Upgrade, Just Friends, and Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, while Patrick’s picks feature Dark City, Judgement Night, and Money Talks. In random coincidence, both of htem chose the Paul Walker vehicle, Running Scared (2006) so were able to cover that flick together.
We finish the episode off with the latest film and industry news, some current events coverage, and the latest pulls from our Physical Media Showcase.
Chapters
00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:09 Episode Overview
00:00:30 Underseen Movies
00:01:19 Dan - Upgrade from Leigh Whannel
00:06:27 Patrick - Dark City Director’s Cut
00:10:22 Dan & Patrick - Running Scared (2006)
00:15:45 The DVD Previews, The Blade TV Series, and Spike TV
00:16:47 The Editing
00:18:24 Box Office & Recepterion
00:19:53 Dan - Just Friends with Ryan Reynolds
00:22:54 Talking Editing Versions of Movie on Cable TV
00:24:05 Anna Faris Praise
00:25:51 Judgement Night
00:26:12 Cast: Emelio Estevez, Cuba Gooding Jr, Stephen Dorff, Jeremy Piven, Denis Leary
00:28:59 Budget, Box Office, & Reception
00:29:19 Director Stephen Hopkins (Lost in Space, Predator 2, Blown Away, The Ghost and the Darkness)
00:32:03 Dan - Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
00:34:22 Breaking Out into Song
00:36:19 Being Trapped in the Shadow of so Many Music Bio-Pic References
00:38:00 Being Tricked into Musicals
00:38:56 Money Talks
00:41:50 Chris Tucker’s ‘95 - ‘98
00:43:18 Brett Ratner, director of the Rush Hour Trilogy, The Family Man, Red Dragon, After the Sunset, X-Men: The Last Stand
00:44:06 News
00:44:12 Cinemark to Add 70mm Imax Screens Ahead of Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’
00:46:09 Godzilla Minus Zero was Announced on Godzilla Day
00:48:36 October Box Office Hits Three Decade Low
00:54:33 Current Events
00:54:42 NEO (Humanoid for the Home) Robot
00:58:05 Tom Brady revealed that his current dog is a clone
01:00:24 Robert Pattinson reveals he filmed as part of Dune 3
01:01:59 Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weiss set to return in new The Mummy movie from Radio Silence
01:04:26 Physical Media Showcase
01:04:36 Dan’s Reservoir Dogs 4K Steelbook
01:05:38 Patrick’s Shin Godzilla 4K Collector’s
01:07:57 Shout! Factory Has Shut Down Their Online Store
01:09:27 Video Rental Store Set to Open in Virginia Beach
01:11:37 Episode Wrap
We start the episode with a game of This or That?, then we finish where we left off in our Halfway to Halloween Special with Part II of our 31 Days of Halloween, and we finish the episode with the latest news, including our analysis of the Scream 7 trailer, our thoughts on Robert Englund getting the Hollywood Walk of Fame Star, and our Physical Media Showcase of the Pet Sematary (1989) 4K edition.
Chapters
00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:09 Episode Overview
00:00:17 This or That? With Dan - Horror Directors
00:04:49 This or That? Patrick with Horror Monsters
00:08:54 Bark Knight Movie Hall of Fame
00:11:21 31 Days of Halloween Part II - Patrick’s Picks
00:11:35 Jamie Lee Curtis Day - Terror Train
00:12:25 Justin Long Day - The House of Darkness
00:13:27 A24 - The Hole in the Ground from Lee Cronin (Evil Dead Rise)
00:14:44 Ghostface Day - Scream 4
00:15:52 Horror Comedy - The Final Girls
00:16:55 1990’s Day - The People Under the Stairs
00:17:38 Folk Horror Day - Gretel & Hansel (Osgood Perkins)
00:19:46 Evil Children Day - The Children (1980)
00:20:22 Vampire Day - Daybreakers
00:21:45 Wicked Wilderness Day - The Ritual (2017)
00:22:34 2010’s Day - The Guest (2014)
00:24:48 Found Footage Day - Host (2020)
00:28:27 Period Piece Day - The Others
00:29:49 Black and White Day - The Night of the Hunter (1955)
00:31:50 Halloween Night Horror Coming Next
00:32:33 Dan’s Picks
00:32:35 The Lost Boys
00:33:36 Abigail
00:34:33 Poltergiest
00:35:54 Christine
00:38:37 Dawn of the Dead (1978)
00:39:57 Stir of Echoes
00:41:43 Death of a Unicorn with John Carpenter Score Talk
00:43:50 A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
00:44:40 Woman of the Hour
00:46:35 The Hand that Rocks the Cradle
00:48:05 Companion
00:49:18 28 Days Later
00:49:25 Sinners
00:50:43 Halloween Night - Shawn of the Dead & Halloween (1978)
00:51:52 News
00:51:55 Scream 7 Trailer Dropped
00:56:01 Robert Englund Hollywood Walk of Fame Star on Halloween
00:58:25 Physical Media Showcase - Pet Sematary (1989)
01:00:14 Would you rather be a vampire from Sinners or The Lost Boys?
01:01:17 Episode Wrap
We break down Black Phone 2 from the characters and actors, the setting, the homages and influences, and what’s next for the franchise.
We then touch on the latest from the 31 Days of Halloween, horror news, and our Physical Media Showcase.
Chapters
00:00:00 Introduced
00:00:09 Episode Overview
00:00:27 Black Phone 2 Review
00:00:35 Writer/Director Scott Derrickson, Writers C Robert Cargill & Joe Hill, EP Maggie Levin, Composer Atticus Derrickson
00:02:14 Budget & Box Office
00:04:10 Reviews (IMDb), Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic, Cinemascore, Threads/Instagram
00:09:02 The Cast - Ethan Hawke (Daybreakers, Sinister, The Purge, The Black Phone), Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, Jeremy Davies (Ravenous), Demian Bichur (The Nun, The Bridge, The Hateful Eight)
00:14:58 Dan’s Review
00:15:05 Is it a Nightmare on Elm Street Rip-off?
00:17:15 The Isolated Camp and Winter Setting
00:21:19 Dan’s Final Thoughts
00:21:52 Finney & Gwen’s Family Dynamics with their Father
00:26:53 The Super 8 Dream Sequences
00:28:11 What’s next for the franchise?
00:35:34 A Few Small Gripes
00:38:29 Final Thoughts & Ratings
00:39:37 31 Days of Halloween Special Episode Teaser
00:42:52 News
00:42:56 Osgood Perkins’ Next Film, The Young People, and Possible Lovecraft Connections
00:45:05 Asmodee Acquires Cthulhu: Death May Die Board Game Brand from CMON
00:47:18 New Horror Anthology Series Announced, Produced by John Carpenter titled “John Carpenter Presents”
00:49:20 Melissa Barrera joins John Travolta in Renny Harlin Orca horror movie
00:51:29 Physical Media Showcase - Cabin in the Woods 4K Steelbook
00:53:00 Episode Wrap
We break down the first 14 days of our 31 Days of Halloween then discuss the latest horror news, followed by a discussion on the current state of the physical media market.
Chapters
00:00:00 Introduction
00:09:00 Episode Overview
00:00:29 31 Days of Halloween Halfway Point
00:00:53 Dan’s Halloween Watchlist
00:02:05 Eight Legged Freaks
00:02:20 The Toxic Avenger (2025)
00:02:50 Five Nights at Freddy’s
00:03:22 Talk to Me
00:03:26 Black Friday
00:03:47 Longlegs
00:06:28 Thi13en Ghosts
00:07:16 Child’s Play
00:08:21 Dangerous Animals
00:09:09 Werewolves
00:10:44 Scream 2
00:12:49 Halloween II
00:16:02 Saw
00:16:38 Maximum Overdrive
00:18:45 Up Next: The Lost Boys
00:18:54 Patrick’s Halloween Watchlist
00:18:57 Prince of Darkness
00:19:07 The Last Days on Mars
00:20:31 Rogue
00:22:07 1408
00:22:28 V\H\S\Halloween
00:25:35 A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master
00:27:23 Tremors
00:29:37 Demons (Demoni)
00:31:08 The Silence of the Lambs
00:34:58 Halloween II
00:37:59 The Lost Boys
00:39:51 When a Stranger Calls
00:44:54 The Cursed
00:47:42 Next Up: Jamie Lee Curtis Theme Day
00:49:00 News
00:49:03 Predator: Badlands Final Trailer and PG-13 Rating
00:50:59 Sigourney Weaver Reveals Talks of a Ripley Return Have Begun
00:53:22 Sam Raimi’s Send Help Trailer
00:54:54 Black Phone 2 Releasing This Weekend
00:58:40 Physical Media Showcase - The Market has Been Out of Control
01:00:28 A Nightmare on Elm Street 4K Steelbook Collection
01:01:48 Sinners 4K Steelbook
01:05:54 Blade Runner & Blade Runner 2049
01:06:45 Retro Realms Halloween & Ash vs the Evil Dead
01:08:14 Episode Wrap
We do a full breakdown of the first season of Alien: Earth, discussing theories, our favorite scenes, the Alien Universe lore, the new species, and much more.We also take some time to discuss our upcoming 31 Days of Halloween and what movies and topics we'll be discussing. Patrick also gives a non-spoiler review of Good Boy.Chapters00:00:00 Introduction00:00:09 Episode Overview00:01:08 Alien: Earth Full Spoiler Discussion00:08:01 The Impact of the Alien Species00:10:04 The Corporate Map of Earth00:12:27 The Alien Movie & Comics Lore00:15:56 The Xenomorph & Wendy Connection00:17:00 The Peter Pan Connections00:18:05 Ambitious World Building & Social Commentary00:19:13 T Ocellus00:20:14 World Building Cont.00:20:50 Marrow & Kirsh00:28:56 Should there have been more character demises?00:32:28 Finale Thoughts00:33:54 T Ocellus Sowing Chaos00:38:23 Our Issues with the Show00:42:38 Facehugging Other Creatures00:43:42 Character Demises Cont.00:47:20 The Show Overcomes its Flaws00:49:23 Common Misunderstandings00:49:38 The Mold Sprayer’s Plotline00:50:18 The Elevator Self-Dustruct Sequence00:50:42 Boy Kavelier Misquote & Complexities00:53:01 What do the final moments mean?00:54:41 Where is Peter Weyland?00:56:00 Concluding the Prometheus & Alien: Covenant Trilogy00:58:17 Will Wendy turn into the Xeno Queen Goddess?01:01:57 The Fandom Problem01:03:08 Alien 3, Alien: Resurrection, and the Legacy Characters01:06:51 Alien: Rogue Incursion, Fireteam Elite, Dark Descent, & Isolation Video Games01:08:10 31 Days of Halloween - Calendar Release, John Carpenter, & Space Horror01:12:34 Good Boy Non-Spoilers Review01:16:42 Patrick Talks Interviewing Night of the Reaper Director, Brandon Christensen01:17:55 Episode Wrap
In our Season 4 premiere, Patrick brings Brandon Christensen on the show to discuss his latest horror feature from Shudder, Night of the Reaper, the story of college student Deena, who visits home and is roped into babysitting. The local sheriff is mailed a piece of evidence and is led on a scavenger hunt to reveal the killer of another babysitter. They discuss Brandon’s filmmaking process and journey as well as some of his favorite horror movies, horror tropes, and horror sub-genres.
Chapters
00:00:00 Episode Start
00:00:?? Episode Intro
00:00:28 Brandon Christensen Intro
00:01:24 About Night of the Reaper - Synopsis
00:02:10 Q&A
00:02:18 You wrote this alongside your brother. Tell me about that process and both of your relationship with horror.
00:05:39 What are some of your favorite horror movies? (The Blair Witch Project Discussion)
00:09:12 The film plays as a retro slasher mystery. What were some of your inspirations for Night of the Reaper? (When a Stranger Calls, Scream, Ghost Ship, The Ring, House of the Devil)
00:12:18 Using Old School Filmmaking Methods or Styles to Establish an 80’s Vibe (House of the Devil, V/H/S, Freaky)
00:15:05 Crafting the Beginning Credits
00:18:07 Talking Physical Media (DVDs, LaserDiscs, Special Editions, 4K Blu-Rays, Arrow Video, Criterion, Scream Factory, Vinegar Syndrome)
00:26:06 Developing the Film’s Score (Sinister, The Gate inspiration)
00:28:51 Brandon’s Favorite Movie Scores (It Follows, Donnie Darko, The Social Network and Trent Reznor, Hans Zimmer)
00:32:02 Discussing Working with the Shudder Team
00:35:31 Are there any sub-genres Brandon is interested in?
00:37:40 Doing Something Different with Reaper and Movie Twists (The Sixth Sense, Midnight Mass, Mike Flanagan, and Stephen King)
00:43:37 If Brandon Could do a Stephen King Adaptation
00:48:15 Utilizing Horror Movie Techniques like Jump Scares and Tension (The Haunting of Hill House, Oddity)
00:53:36 Making the 80s Aesthetic Work (It Follows talk)
00:58:26 Halloween Double Feature Pairing for Night of the Reaper
01:01:02 The Whodunit? Feel, Red Herrings, and Rewatchability of Night of the Reaper (Scream 2)
01:05:47 Episode Wrap - Upcoming Feature, Bodycam, Promotion
In their biggest episode yet, our crew, Patrick, Dan, and Paul, take on the Franchise Battle Royale, voting each franchise up the bracket until only one remains. The franchises span science-fiction, fantasy, comic book, horror, action, and blockbuster properties and cover 32 different franchises. Some were easy, some were extremely difficult, but all of them led to surprises. Join us to find our which franchise rules them all.
Chapters
00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:14 Episode Overview
00:01:53 Franchise Bracket Reveal
00:03:41 Format Breakdown
00:05:12 Round 1
00:05:13 Sci-Fi, Comic Book, & Fantasy Properties
00:05:14 Round 1 - Back to the Future vs Ghostbusters
00:12:33 Dune vs Alien
00:19:13 Blade Runner vs The Matrix
00:26:51 X-Men vs Spider-Man
00:34:08 Horror Properties
00:34:14 Final Destination vs Evil Dead
00:39:16 Saw vs The Conjuring
00:41:35 Scream vs Friday the 13th
00:47:51 A Nightmare on Elm Street vs Halloween
00:53:33 Action Properties
00:53:34 Mad Max vs Die Hard
01:01:49 Kingsman vs Jason Bourne
01:03:30 John wick vs Mission Impossible
01:09:44 The Fast & the Furious vs James Bond
01:11:20 Blockbuster Properties
01:11:21 Lord of the Rings vs Harry Potter
01:11:59 The Dark Knight vs The Snyderverse
01:12:37 The Hunger Games vs Twilight
01:17:18 Star Wars vs the Marvel Cinematic Universe
01:23:07 Round 2
01:23:16 Ghostbusters vs Alien
01:25:42 The Matrix vs Spider-Man
01:27:12 Evil Dead vs The Conjuring
01:29:17 Scream vs Halloween
01:30:35 Mad Max vs Jason Bourne
01:31:57 Mission Impossible vs James Bond
01:33:33 Lord of the Rings vs The Dark Knight
01:35:28 Twilight vs Star Wars
01:35:40 Round 3
01:35:48 Alien vs Spider-Man
01:38:03 Evil Dead vs Halloween
01:42:41 Mad Max vs James Bond
01:44:28 Lord of the Rings vs Star Wars
01:49:25 Semi-Finals
01:49:37 Spider-Man vs Halloween
01:50:28 James Bond vs Star Wars
01:52:57 Championship
01:53:02 Spider-Man vs Star Wars
02:02:37 THE WINNER
02:05:24 Final Thoughts
02:06:51 Episode Wrap
Dan and Paul join Patrick for the 50th episode of the podcast to discuss their top five favorite movies of all time and why they hold them so dear. They also go into some of their honorable mentions and close-calls for the list and why they didn’t make it.
Chapters
00:00:00 Intro
00:00:14 Episode Overview
00:03:42 Top 5 Favorite Movies of All Time Kick-Off
00:03:43 5 - Paul - John Carpenter’s The Thing
00:06:28 5 - Dan - Avengers: Endgame
00:10:07 5 - Patrick - Tombstone
00:13:17 4 - Paul - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
00:17:32 4 - Dan - Aliens
00:22:35 4 - Patrick - Heat
00:26:02 3 - Paul - Alien
00:29:06 3 - Dan - Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring
00:32:11 3 - Patrick - The Godfather Part I & II
00:41:03 2 - Paul - Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Rings
00:44:21 2 - Dan - Tombstone
00:46:27 2 - Patrick - Inception
00:54:46 1 - Paul - Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back
01:03:17 1 - Dan - Jurassic Park
01:09:18 1 - Patrick - John Carpenter’s The Thing
01:18:53 Honorable Mentions - Jaws, Saving Private Ryan, The Shawshank Redemption, Natural Born Killers, Scott Pilgrim vs The World, Terminator, The Fifth Element, Blade Runner, Blade Runner 2049, Dune: Part Two, Gladiator, Sinners, Godzilla: Minus One, Shin Godzilla
01:25:59 Final Thoughts
01:26:49 Episode Wrap
We break down the latest entry in the 28 zombie movie franchise, 28 Years Later, including non-spoiler reviews as well as a full-spoiler section breaking down the three acts, the ending, the cast and characters, the writing and directing, as well as our predictions of what comes next.
Chapters
00:00:00 Intro
00:00:14 28 Years Later Introduction
00:00:49 The Plot
00:02:46 Director - Danny Boyle (28 Days Later, Sunshine, 127 Hours, Sulmdog Millionaire, Yesterday, Trainspotting, The Beach, A Life Less Ordinary), Writer - Alex Garland (writer of 28 Days Later, Sunshine, The Beach, Dredd, Writer/Director of Annihilation, Ex Machina, Men, Civil War, Warfare)
00:06:52 Budget & Box Office
00:07:29 The Cast - Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ralph Fiennes, Alphie Williams
00:10:38 Reviews (IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, Metascore, Cinema Score, Threads)
00:13:34 Our Non-Spoiler Reviews
00:20:16 Spoiler Discussion
00:20:19 Breaking Down the Three Acts
00:20:34 Act I
00:21:58 Building Out the Lore
00:26:55 Act II
00:32:38 Left 4 Dead Different Types of Zombies
00:33:48 Act III
00:42:13 The Stinger of the Movie - The Final Scene
00:53:35 What We Know About 28 Days Later: The Bone Temple
00:56:56 Final Thoughts
00:57:27 The Editing
00:59:57 News
01:00:00 Tom Cruise Receiving Honorary Oscar
01:01:15 Will Smith Reveals He Turned Down Inception
01:04:23 Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere Trailer Released
01:08:43 Toxic Avenger Trailer
01:10:10 New Weapons Trailer
01:11:00 New Julie Benz Horror Movie, Horrified, Coming in July
01:11:52 Third Boondocks Saints Movie in Development
01:14:11 Episode Wrap-Up
Based on popular demand, Patrick opens the episode with his top 30-16 favorite movies from 2013. He then transitions to a cut segment from the last episode where Patrick and Dan talk through some other releases from 2013 that didn't make their lists.
Chapters
00:00:00 Intro
00:00:14 Episode Overview
00:01:07 30 - Dead Man Down
00:01:50 29 - Riddick
00:02:51 28 - The Last Days on Mars
00:03:59 27 - Horns
00:05:12 26 - Filth
00:06:15 25 - The World’s End
00:07:05 24 Iron Man 3
00:07:59 23 - Fast & Furious 6
00:09:33 22 - Olympus Has Fallen
00:10:17 21 - The Wolf of Wall Street
00:10:59 20 - Snitch
00:12:50 19 - The Wolverine
00:13:12 18 - Gravity
00:13:37 17 - Rush
00:14:02 16 - The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
00:14:39 Other 2013 Releases with Dan
00:15:21 Blue Jasmine
00:15:40 Oculus & Coherence
00:16:34 The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
00:16:55 Frozen
00:17:10 Dallas Buyers Club, Elysium, Mama, Warm Bodies
00:17:44 Bad Sequels - Kickass 2, Red 2, The Hangover Part III, Grown Ups 2, Fast & Furious 6, Escape Plan
00:18:21 The Counselor
00:18:36 Metallica: Through the Never, Odd Thomas
00:19:19 A Good Day to Die Hard, Machete Kills
00:19:32 Dead Man Down & Kendra Morris
00:20:09 Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa
00:20:25 Identity Thief, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Behind the Candelabra
00:21:19 V/H/S/2, Riddick, Filth
00:22:06 The Last Days on Mars, Europa Report
00:23:15 Curse of Chucky, This is the End
00:25:27 Lone Survivor
We take a look back at all of our favorite movies from 2013.
Chapters
00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:14 Episode Overview
00:02:32 The Ranking Begins
00:03:13 Top 11-15
00:03:16 15 - Iron Man 3, Locke
00:05:44 14 - Man of Steel, Out of the Furnace
00:09:43 13 - We’re the Millers, The Purge
00:11:59 12 - Fruitvale Station, Inside Llewyn Davis
00:14:54 11 - The Wolverine, Side Effects
00:18:37 Top 10
00:18:49 10 - 12 Years a Slave, Under the Skin
00:23:43 09 - The World’s End, Pacific Rim
00:27:36 08 - Rush, Captain Phillips
00:33:27 07 - Evil Dead, We’re the Millers
00:38:42 06 - Pacific Rim, Snowpiercer
00:42:54 05 - The Conjuring, Evil Dead
00:46:20 04 - The Wolf of Wall Street (with Martin Scorscese tangent), Enemy
00:54:22 03 - 42, American Hustle
00:59:30 02 - Gravity, The Conjuring
01:04:02 01 - Prisoners
We watched the latest movie in the John Wick franchise and end up with opposing viewpoints on it: one of us liked it, one of us...kind of didn't? It's a bit more complex than that, but join us to hear our thoughts.
We also review the latest from the Predator franchise, Predator: Killer of Killers and discuss the new Alien: Earth trailer with our theories about what creatures the show will feature.
Chapters
00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:14 Episode Overview
00:02:07 Ballerina Review
00:02:21 Director Len Wiseman (Underworld, Underworld: Evolution, Live Free or Die Hard, Total Recall (2012)
00:03:41 Budget & Box Office
00:04:19 John Wick Spin-Off Discussion (The Continental, Ballerina, Caine)
00:06:38 The Reviews (IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, Metascore, Cinemascore, Threads)
00:07:13 Our Reviews
00:07:36 Dan’s Review
00:09:39 Patrick’s Review - What he liked
00:12:16 What Patrick Didn’t Like
00:30:52 Donnie Yen’s Caine Spin-Off
00:31:45 Our Favorite Villains, Scenes, and Movies from the John Wick Universe
00:38:05 Donnie Yen’s Caine Spin-Off Final Thoughts
00:41:14 Fear Street: Prom Queen Review
00:42:53 Chris Klein Hate Train (Rollerball)
00:44:45 Predator: Killer of Killers Review - Dan Trachtengerg (10 Cloverfield Lane, Prey, Predator: Badlands) with
00:49:12 Alien: Earth Trailer discussion
00:51:39 Andor Season 2 Review
00:52:43 The Beast Within with Kit Harrington Review
00:53:32 The News
00:53:34 Blumhouse has acquired the rights to Saw, giving James Wan creative control of the franchise once again
00:55:48 Texas Chainsaw Massacre Bidding war (Jordan Peele / Monkeypaw, Taylor Sheridan / Paramount, Oz Perkins / NEON, Glen Powell / A24, Netflix)
01:02:45 Alien: Earth Full Trailer Arrived
01:08:00 Samara Weaving & Kathryn Newton Post that Ready or Not 2: Here I come Wrapped Filming
01:08:29 V/H/S movie Radio Silence / David Bruckner tangent
01:09:22 Physical Media Showcase - Tucker & Dale vs Evil Blu-Ray Steelbook
01:10:35 Episode Wrap & Next Episode Preview
Since last episode, Patrick saw Mission Impossible, Dan saw Bring Her Back and Lilo & Stitch, and a whole bunch of new trailers released including Black Phone 2, Happy Gilmore 2, Pete Davidson's The Home, and more.
Chapters
00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:14 Episode Overview
00:02:36 Mission Impossible: Final Reckoning Overview
00:03:10 The Director - Christopher McQuarrie (The Way of the Gun, Valkyrie, The Edge of Tomorrow, Jack Reacher, Top Gun: Maverick, and Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation, Fallout, & Dead Reckoning)
00:06:09 The Cast
00:08:39 Budget & Box Office Estimates
00:12:08 Reviews (IMDb, Metascore, Rotten Tomatoes, Cinemascore, Threads)
00:12:58 Our Thoughts on the Franchise
00:14:54 Patrick’s Review
00:22:50 Bring Her Back Overview
00:25:18 The Cast & Acting
00:28:23 Budget & Box Office
00:28:59 Reviews (IMDb, Metascore, Rotten Tomatoes, Cinemascore)
00:38:45 Lilo & Stitch Live Action Remake Review
00:44:07 This Weekend’s Releases: Ballerina, Life of Chuck, The Ritual, Dangerous Animals
00:45:09 The News
00:45:20 Eddie Murphy's son just married Martin Lawrence's daughter
00:46:59 Pete Davidson’s The Home Trailer
00:49:37 Black Phone 2 Trailer
00:54:33 Tony Gilroy planning new movie about movie score composing with Oscar Isaac
00:56:10 Guillermo Del Toro’s Frankenstein trailer
00:58:23 Happy Gilmore 2 Trailer
01:00:53 Stranger Things Final Season Trailer
01:05:58 Dexter: Resurrection Trailer
01:07:32 Neve Campbell set to voice Polaris is X-Men ‘97 Season 2
01:09:25 Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse released 2 years ago today
01:11:34 Physical Media Showcase - Tombstone 4K Steelbook with Amazon Rant
01:14:13 Episode Wrap Up & Next Week’s Preview
Meka G from the Cinematic Nightmares Podcast joins Patrick once again to talk about their favorite psychological horror movies (and a few shows). Topics range from how the sub-genre intersects with other genres like Supernatural and Folk Horror to how it deals with real life fears like motherhood, grief, claustrophobia, isolation, and paranoia. They finish with some Psychological Horror Physical Media Showcase favorites.
Chapters
00:00:00 Intro
00:00:14 Meka G Introduction
00:01:07 Episode Overview
00:02:30 How does Meka G Define Psychological Horror?
00:04:50 Our Favorite Psychological Horror
00:05:24 The Tale of Two Sisters & The Uninvited (with spoilers)
00:08:58 Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho (with spoilers) and Bates Motel
00:12:02 I See You (No Spoilers)
00:13:54 Jacob’s Ladder
00:17:21 Black Swan
00:20:14 Gretel & Hansel
00:20:44 Midsommar & Hereditary
00:22:54 A24 & Psychological Horror - A Different Man, Bring Her Back, The Lobster, & Talk to Me
00:28:57 Gretel & Hansel, Folk Horror, Osgood Perkins, & Longlegs (with light spoilers)
00:32:22 The Night House, David Bruckner, and more Folk Horror with The Ritual (with light spoilers)
00:34:50 Silence of the Lambs
00:35:43 Get Out & Psycho
00:37:53 Mike Flanagan, The Haunting of Hill House and Bly Manor, Oculus, Gerald’s Game
00:39:18 Strange Darling
00:39:42 Smile & Smile 2 (with spoilers)
00:43:00 Knock at the Cabin, M. Night Shyamalan, & The Sixth Sense
00:43:38 As Above, So Below, Claustrophobia, The Descent, and Group Breakdowns
00:46:18 David Lynch’s Blue Velvet
00:46:46 The Others
00:47:09 Mother!, Rosemary’s Baby, Apartment 7A, Hereditary, The Babadook, and Motherhood’s Role in Psychological Horror
00:50:09 70’s Horror Movies
00:50:29 The Conversation
00:51:19 Rosemary’s Baby, Apartment 7A, Black Swan, Suspiria, & Dance Horror Movies
00:53:34 Physical Media Showcase - Psychological Horror Edition
00:55:54 1408
00:57:01 American Psycho (with spoilers)
01:02:52 Se7en (with spoilers)
01:05:42 The Shining
01:07:07 John Carpenter’s The Thing, Dreamcatcher, and Snowy Group Alien Horror
01:09:17 Dark City
01:10:20 Cape Fear & Shutter Island
01:12:12 Dreamcatcher Reprise
We catch up on the latest installment of the Final Destination franchise, discussing what makes the franchise special, what our favorites are, and where this one ranks. We also take a moment to recognize the achievements of Tony Todd and his impact on this franchise and the horror genre as a whole.
Chapters
00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:14 Episode Overview
00:01:38 Final Destination: Bloodlines Overview
00:03:15 What is the Final Destination Franchise?
00:06:45 Reviews (IMDb, Metacritic, Rotten Tomatoes, Cinemascore, Threads, and Significant Others)
00:10:27 Budget & Box Office
00:11:09 A Rough Rating of the Franchise
00:17:26 Characters + Cast with Brec Bassinger praise
00:23:32 Direction: Zach Lipovsky & Adam B Stein
00:24:16 Writers: Guy Busick (Ready or Not, Castle Rock, Scream (2022), Scream 6, Abigail), Lori Evans Taylor (nothing I’ve heard of), Jon Watts (writer/director of the Spider-Man movies, Skeleton Crew, Wolfs, Cop Car, and Clown)
00:26:13 Remembering Tony Todd
00:36:01 Final Thoughts
00:38:01 Our Favorite Kills
00:43:37 SPOILER TALK
00:48:43 News
00:48:46 Warner Brothers Discovery is changing the name of its streaming app back to HBO Max
00:49:57 New Predator: Killer of Killers Trailer Dropped
00:51:25 Physical Media Showcase - Talking the Criterion Collection 30% Off Sales and our recommendations: Dan - In the Heat of the Night, Patrick - Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, The Others, Mulholland Dr, Citizen Kane
00:58:40 Wrap-Up