The Cherry Picker
by Zack Cherry
Welcome to The Cherry Picker: the horror movie podcast where we like to kill people... but not really. Hosted by Zack Cherry and Eddie. Each week we discuss a new horror film / franchise / or topic, and finish the episode off with The Cherry Picker, an interactive poll where we choose two characters from the preceding content who we believe were/are the most deserving of their horror movie deaths (whether they received one or not). You will then have the opportunity to vote.
Episodes
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Episode 210 | Crystal Lake (2026)
After being dormant for 17 years, Jason Voorhees has been blown out of the water for this Friday the 13th "prequel" TV series from A24 and Peacock. We have watched all eight episodes, and we are ready to dive in. Also, as always, we've picked out the most loathsome characters from the film, so…
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Episode 209 | Episode 181 | F#@% Marry Kill: Halloween Franchise
Happy Halloween!!! Thank you to our Patreon supporters for picking this fun little game as the theme for this episode. So join us and play along. We're taking the characters from all the HALLOWEEN films (Halloween, Halloween II, Halloween III, Halloween 4, Halloween 5, The Curse of Michael Myers,...
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Episode 208 | The Fog (1980)
We love a good atmospheric horror picture for Halloween season. And what better a movie to give off those vibes than John Carpenter's The Fog! Join us this week as we delve into JC's 1980 follow up to Halloween, discussing the on-set drama, and comparing the 2005 remake as well. Also, as always,...
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Episode 207 | Rob Zombie's Halloween II (2009)
Happy Halloween month! With this episode, we are completely caught up all 13 of the Halloween films! Sorry for the inconsistent order, but your patience over the years has been very much appreciated. This was an interesting one to talk about, as is the case with most of the Halloween franchise.…
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Episode 206 | Top 10 Horror Movie Chase Scenes
Catching up on last month's Patreon's Choice episode: The Top 10 Horror Movie Chase Scenes, where Zack and Tim will go through their favorite chase scenes, along with some honorable mentions. A lot goes into crafting a great chase scene, and it seems to be a lost art form in the horror genre…
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Episode 205 | Resident Evil (2026)
There's a new Resident Evil movie out right now, and we're primed to talk about it. Join us as we discuss everything from the correlation to the video games, where we feel the film exceeds and disappoints, and also where it lands in the Resident Evil film franchise, as well as Zach Cregger's...
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Episode 204 | Rob Zombie's Halloween (2007)
We've pretty much covered all of the Halloween franchise... except the Rob Zombie films. So this Halloween season, get ready for us to rip off the bandaid and talk about one of the most polarizing versions of Michael Myers and his story. Also, as always, we've picked out the most loathsome...
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Episode 203 | Resident Evil (2002)
The Resident Evil franchises is rebooting once again with a brand new movie coming out this week. So what better a time to cover the original than now? How does the 2002 movie compare to the game franchise? What would this have looked like if it were directed by George A. Romero? Join us as we…
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Episode 202 | Buddy (2026)
We went and checked out the new horror movie, Buddy, so we could tell you all about it. Could this be the start of a new franchise, or is it a fleeting gimmick that will mostly be forgotten. Join us as we weigh in on our thoughts of the homicidal orange unicorn that is continuing this year's…
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Episode 201 | The Spiral Staircase (1946)
For this month's Patreon's Choice Episode, we are talking all about The Spiral Staircase from 1946. This is the oldest movie we've covered on The Cherry Picker, and we were both surprised to see how influential it was on many popular slasher films. The horror genre owes a lot to this movie, and…
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Episode 200 | I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) REDUX
We've hit 200 episodes!!! And to celebrate, we are revisiting Tim's favorite movie of all time, I Know What You Did Last Summer. There's always lots to talk about when it comes to the Scream-adjacent 90s slasher, and now with more perspective than before. If you've been here since the beginning…
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Episode 199 | Happy Birthday to Me (1981)
We're celebrating Tim's birthday this week (even though we're a little late) with the 1981 canuxploitation film, Happy Birthday to me. This one is a bit of an anomaly, but it's also really fun, and we had a great time reviewing it. If you love low-budget Canadian slashers from the 80s with giallo...
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Episode 198 | Oculus (2013)
This week we are covering Oculus! One of Mike Flanagan's earlier films that was based on a short film from 2005 that he had written, directed, and edited. We love a good mirror-centric horror picture, and Oculus is supernatural horror done well! Join us as we delve into this psychological ghost...
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Episode 197 | The Skeleton Key (2005)
Thank you to our Patreon supporters for picking this week's movie: The Skeleton Key! Join us for some bayou horror as we delve into this hidden gem from the mid 2000s. There's lots to talk about with this one, so we hope you have as much fun as we did! Also, as always, we've picked out the most...
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Episode 196 | Evil Dead Burn (2026)
Apparently there's a new Evil Dead movie out now, so we watched it and rushed here to tell you what we think of it. Join us for a lively conversation, where we will talk about all things from franchise rankings, to soundtrack, to end credit scenes. Also, as always, we've picked out the most...
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Episode 195 | The Hills Have Eyes (1977)
Continuing our summer themed wave with Wes Craven's Hills Have Eyes! Join us for some 70s exploitation horror as we delve into this classic road trip thriller and examine the evolution of Wes Craven's career throughout the decades. Also, as always, we've picked out the most loathsome characters...
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Episode 194 | Deep Blue Sea (1999)
Summer 2026 is here, which means we're going to be obnoxiously thematic for a while. So dive in with us today as we revisit the 90's shark thriller, DEEP BLUE SEA. Was it nostalgia that drew us to this one, or is it just a really fun time? Also, as always, we've picked out the most loathsome...
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Episode 193 | Jeepers Creepers (2001)
This month's Patreon's Choice episode (chosen by our friends over on Patreon) is Jeepers Creepers! The 2001 creature feature that broke labor day box office records at the time of its release. But how does it hold up 25 years later? Join us as we share our thoughts. Also, as always, we've picked...
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Episode 192 | Scary Movie (2026)
The long awaited return of the SCARY MOVIE franchise is finally upon us, but... does it deliver on its promise to CROSS EVERY LINE? Join us as we analyze the sixth entry in the spoof franchise, where we will delve into every pop culture and horror movie reference, and also talk about some of our...
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Episode 191 | Backrooms (2026)
Based on the viral web series from Kane Parsons, which itself was inspired by creepypastas, Backrooms is the latest horror movie to blow up the box office. It is currently A24's highest grossing film to date, with $213 million after its second weekend. Does Backrooms reinvent the wheel though?…
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Episode 190 | Obsession (2026)
Obsession is a brand new horror film released by Blumhouse from first time director, Curry Barker. After three weeks, the film has already earned over $150 million worldwide through word of mouth, and has been drawing a lot of praise from critics and audiences alike. But how do we feel about it?...
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Episode 189 | Our Favorites and Least Favorites from Every Horror Franchise
In this week's supersized episode (chosen by our Patreon supporters), we will be going over 25 different horror movie franchises to give you our favorite and least favorite film from each one. All in all there are 174 movies to choose from!!! Feel free to play along. If you would like to join our...
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Episode 188 | From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)
From Dusk Till Dawn turned 30 years old this past January! And with all the renewed interest in it following the release of Sinners last year, we figured we would see how the film holds up today. Join us as we sink our teeth into this horror/crime/western hybrid that was directed by Robert...
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Episode 187 | Panic Room (2002)
Panic Room was a successful mid-range budget thriller from the early 2000s. Starring Jodie Foster and directed by David Fincher, it became a huge hit at the time of its release, but has since become somewhat forgotten. So join us as we delve back into this slice of history, which still looks…
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Episode 186 | Basic Instinct (1992)
Basic Instinct is known as the quintessential 90s erotic thriller... but is it the best one? Join us as we delve into this salacious romp from Dutch filmmaker, Paul Verhoeven, that launched Sharon Stone as a household name ("You're mother was no Sharon Stone"), and saw Michael Douglas continue to...
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Episode 185 | Fear (1996)
Join us for this month's Patreon's Choice: FEAR (1996), which also happens to be celebrating its 30th anniversary this month. A racy 90s thriller starring Mark Wahlberg and Reese Witherspoon. This was a fun movie to chat about, so we hope you have a good time listening to us joke about all the...
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Episode 184 | Faces of Death (2026)
After being shelved for several years, the meta reboot to Faces of Death (the controversial horror snuff film from 1978) has finally received a limited theatrical release. We happened to catch this one and quite enjoyed it. Hang out with us as we chat about the film in this spoiler-filled...
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Episode 183 | Final Destination 5 (2011)
This week we are revisiting the surprise prequel in the Final Destination franchise in its fifth entry. One of the better ones, in our opinion, as it builds upon the lore of the previous films. So join us as we discuss all the clues and continuity errors of this being a period piece. We'll also...
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Episode 182 | Scary Movie (2000)
With Scary Movie 6 on the horizon, we're revisiting the satire of all satires with the original, released way back in the year 2000. Join us as we reminisce of a time where comedy was not only funny, but also extremely offensive. Also, as always, we've picked out the most loathsome characters…
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Episode 181 | F#@% Marry Kill: Scream Franchise
Now that Scream 7 is out and about, let's play a fun little game. We're taking all the characters from Scream, Scream 2, Scream 3, Scream 4, Scream (2022), Scream VI, and Scream 7, and putting them through a bout of F#@% Marry Kill (aka Kiss Marry Kill). Join us 24 rounds of fun and play along…
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Episode 180 | Demon Knight (1995)
We're hitting the 90s hard this week with Tales From the Crypt presents Demon Knight. Join us as we explore the pre-Scream landscape of horror. It may not have had the best track record, but there were a few gems such as this one, where art direction and practical effects transcended the genre to…
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Episode 179 | Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988)
We're back after some technical difficulties. And we may have missed Friday the 13th by a few days, but we were determined to get this episode out to you. The New Blood is an entry in the F13 franchise that has always been very polarizing, especially for boasting some of the greatest FX that…
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Episode 178 | Scream 7 (2026)
SCREAM 7 is finally upon us, having released this past weekend... AND we have got a lot to talk about in this MEGA 3-HOUR episode of The Cherry Picker. What did we like? What did we NOT like? Where does this entry land for us in terms of a franchise ranking? ...AND MORE!!! And as always, we've...
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Episode 177 | It (2017)
Thank you to our Patreon supporters for choosing this week's episode: It (2017). Join us as we delve into this contemporary adaptation of the classic Stephen King novel. Also, make sure to help us decide which character was most deserving to die in the Cherry Picker Poll. If you would like to…
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Episode 176 | Scream VI (2023) REDUX
The countdown to SCREAM 7 continues this week with our re-cap of Scream VI. This movie was fast tracked for release after the success of Scream (2022). And while it was celebrated at the time for its high-octane set pieces, it hasn't aged very well for us. How do we feel about it today? Well,...
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Episode 175 | Scream (2022) REDUX
The countdown to SCREAM 7 continues this week with our re-cap of Scream 5. This franchise lay dormant for 11 years (not including the mostly unrelated television series), so the announcement of a fifth instalment was a huge deal in the wake of the slasher resurgence, and also the catalyst for the...
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Episode 174 | Scream 4 (2011) REDUX
The countdown to SCREAM 7 continues this week with our re-cap of Scream 4. Was this movie ahead of its time? We talk about everything from the "extended/alternate" version to the infamous filter, and lots of little tidbits and opinions along the way. And as always, we've picked out the most...
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Episode 173 | Misery (1990)
Thank you to our Patreon supporters for choosing this week's episode: Misery. Join us as we delve into the snowed-in horror story from the mind of Stephen King, and the vision of Rob Reiner. Also, make sure to help us decide which character was most deserving to die in the Cherry Picker Poll. If...
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Episode 172 | Scream 3 (2000) REDUX
The countdown to SCREAM 7 continues this week with our re-cap of Scream 3. Join us as we unpack this often misunderstood trilogy capper, which has received somewhat of a renaissance in the last few years. And as always, we've picked out the most loathsome characters from the film, so join us at…
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Episode 171 | Scream 2 (1997) REDUX
The countdown to SCREAM 7 continues this week with our re-cap of Scream 2. Join us as we unpack this hard-hitting sequel, which happens to be our favorite. And as always, we've picked out the most loathsome characters from the film, so join us at the end of the episode in voting for which one was...
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Episode 170 | Scream (1996) REDUX
Happy New Year! We are kicking off 2026 by welcoming our new Co-Host, Tim MacKay, as well as gearing up for the release of SCREAM 7 on February 27th! To celebrate the occasion, we are revisiting the entire Scream franchise, starting with the 1996 original. Come meet Tim and get his insights into...
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Episode 169 | What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)
🎀 Here we are, Eddie's final episode as co-host! This week is also our Patreon's choice episode for the month, and What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? has emerged victorious. Join us as we say goodbye to Eddie and have some fun fan-casting feuding duos to star in a hypothetical Baby Jane remake....
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Episode 168 | My Soul to Take (2010)
🦅 Released 15 years ago, My Soul to Take was Wes Craven's second to last film, and one that is notoriously maligned. But is it that bad...? Well, you will have to hear what we say about it, because this is one of those movies where the conversation surprised us. Also, as always, we've picked out...
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Episode 167 | Cult of Chucky (2017)
❄️ Just three episodes left for Eddie, so we are wrapping up another long-covered franchise this week. Cult of Chucky was the last feature film in the official Chucky franchise (before he went over to television), and we have some very opposing thoughts on the movie. We also have our franchise...
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Episode 166 | Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994)
🦖 With this being Eddie's last month co-hosting the podcast, we wanted to finish off one of his favorite franchises that we have been covering... I mean, technically, we haven't covered the remake yet, but The Nightmare on Elm Street franchise would not be complete without Wes Craven's super…
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Episode 165 | The Top 10 Horror Movies of the 21st Century
🔟 For this month's Patreon's Choice episode, we are sifting through the 21st century (2001-Present) to pick out our top 10 horror movies. This episode will include Zack's list, Eddie's list... and just because we like some variety, we will also be looking at Letterboxd's Top 10 Most Popular…
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Episode 164 | Thanksgiving (2023)
🦃 We love slashers here at The Cherry Picker, and with the holiday right around the corner, we figured it was a good time to visit a newer entry in the genre with Eli Roth's Thanksgiving. In this episode we will discuss the original "Grindhouse" trailer that started it all, and how it evolved…
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Episode 163 | Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992)
🛍️ Reaching way back to the early 90s with this one! Before it was a hit television series starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, Buffy was a wacky offbeat movie which was heavily meddled, resulting in a tonally different version which flopped hard, but has since become a cult classic. Join us as we…
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Episode 162 | Curse of Chucky (2013)
🥣 It’s been a while since we’ve talked about Chucky, so we’re starting to make our way through the last few entries of the franchise. Also, Eddie has an announcement to make, so make sure not to miss this one. Also, as always, we've picked out the most loathsome characters from the film, so join...
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Episode 161 | Trick 'r Treat (2007)
🍭 Happy Halloween, folks!!! This month's Patreon's Choice movie is the anthology film, Trick 'r Treat. Eddie is off this week, so we brought in special-ghost, Tim, to chat about the movie, as well as the the new I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER, and the SCREAM franchise. Also, as always, we've...
About this show
Welcome to The Cherry Picker: the horror movie podcast where we like to kill people... but not really. Hosted by Zack Cherry and Eddie. Each week we discuss a new horror film / franchise / or topic, and finish the episode off with The Cherry Picker, an interactive poll where we choose two characters from the preceding content who we believe were/are the most deserving of their horror movie deaths (whether they received one or not). You will then have the opportunity to vote.
Hosted by
Zack Cherry