The Babadook

Nobody warned this mother and son that the monster in their new picture book was real. "The Babadook" follows a grieving single mother whose troubled young son becomes convinced a storybook creature has come for them, continuing The Next Reel's Horror Debuts series. Jennifer Kent writes and directs her feature debut, starring Essie Davis and Noah Wiseman.Pete and Andy dig into the film's overt grief metaphor, its difficult central characters, and its surprising second life as an LGBTQ+ icon and internet meme. They don't fully agree on how well the story holds up, but they're united on the strength of the filmmaking. We have a great time talking about it, so check it out then tune in—The Next Reel on TruStory FM, when the movie ends, our conversation begins!Watch the Film: Amazon | Apple TV | Letterboxd | Trailer | Flickchart🔓 The movie ends. The conversation goes further. Become a member. 🎧 Members get this episode early and ad-free in their private feed—plus every show in The Next Reel family.Full episode resources and transcript here. The Next Reel Family of Film Shows:Cinema Scope: Bridging Genres, Subgenres, and Movements | The Film Board | Movies We Like | The Next Reel | Sitting in the DarkConnect With Us:Web | Letterboxd | Flickchart | Instagram | Bluesky | YouTube | DiscordYour Hosts: Andy | PeteMerch Store | Audible