Scratching the Surface

Alex Garland and Danny Boyle are back with their sequel to 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later. In this episode we discuss the film's best and worst moments and decide whether this entry to the franchise is worth your time. Website: scratchingthesurface100.com#horrormovies #horrorcommunity #28yearslater #horror

Michael and Danny Philippou follow up their wildly successful horror film Talk to Me with a terrifying story centered on grief and loss. What were your thoughts on Bring Her Back?

The newest installment in the Final Destination Franchise certainly surprises, but just how good was it? RIP Tony Todd, a true legend of horror.

Frendo is on the loose in this modern day slasher directed by Eli Craig, based on the 2020 novel from Adam Cesare. Does Clown in a Cornfield bring anything new to the table or is it just a standard late night horror flick?

Met with criticism leading up to its release, "Until Dawn" had a lot to live up to. Did it meet expectations, or was this another failed video game adaptation?

With Sinners , director Ryan Coogler gives us a horror story steeped in African American culture, and set during the Jim Crow Era.

Rule of thumb when writing a script: don't toy with your audience. Apparently, writer Sam Stefanak did not get this memo, and the result was dissatisfied viewers. Film is subjective though, and you can still find some good in the bad. Sometimes a closer look is warranted. The Woman in the Yard follows Ramona and her two children, Taylor and Annie, as they encounter a mysterious figure cloaked in black on their family farm.

Writer/director Oz Perkins is on a roll with his second horror film in two years. Last year we got Longlegs, and this year we got The Monkey. There's been some divisiveness surrounding The Monkey since its release and I can understand why. Was this supposed to be an adventure comedy, a coming-of-age movie, a possessed doll film, or even a slapstick comedy? Perkins himself probably doesn't even know. But I digress...

Four recent horror movies I’ve seen with a brief summary and review for each. This episode does contain spoilers!00:00 Intro 00:42 Nosferatu 05:21 Wolf Man 08:13 Presence11:36 Companion

In this episode we take a closer look at Nosferatu, a story and character that kick started the horror genre.  ____________________ Episode Content 00:00 Intro  01:17 Nosferatu A Symphony of Horror  07:17 Nosferatu the Vampyre  10:07 Shadow of the Vampire  12:52 Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu ____________________ STS Website scratchingthesurface100.com

One of the most compelling horror movies of 2024, Heretic gives viewers an introspective story on the history of religion, good and the bad. ____________________ Episode Content 00:00 Intro and reaction (spoiler free) 07:45 Meeting Mr. Reed 10:25 Something is off 11:31 The back room 12:37 The two doors 15:20 The basement 16:16 The savior 19:00 The truth 21:58 A prayer and a butterfly 25:07 Rotten Tomatoes 25:44 Junes' review ____________________ STS Website scratchingthesurface100.com

To wrap up the month of October we revisit the 1978 classic, Halloween. This one set the pace for many slasher films to follow and will forever hold a place in the horror genre. ____________________ Episode Content 00:00 Intro 03:03 Michael's first kill 05:08 Dr. Loomis 05:53 Fifteen years later 07:42 Laurie Strode 10:35 Michael is everywhere 13:41 House to house 17:58 Laurie vs. Michael 19:35 Michael lives 23:37 Rotten Tomatoes 24:24 Money's review 27:47 Junes' review ____________________ STS Website scratchingthesurface100.com

The highly anticipated Terrifier 3 provides plenty of the gore we've come to know from this franchise, but when does it become too much?

STS starts the month of October off with the American version of Speak No Evil, a tense thriller with a terrifyingly good performance from James McAvoy. ____________________ Episode Content 00:00 Intro 04:00 The Invite 05:00 Character Dynamics 09:20 Hoppy 12:10 The Cellar 13:49 All Hell Breaks Lose 17:06 Ciara's Hesitation 19:14 That's My Boy 20:28 A Happy Ending 21:15 Rotten Tomatoes 21:49 Money's Review 25:24 Junes' Review ____________________ STS Website scratchingthesurface100.com

Jeepers Creepers is a cult classic, with some great characters and a villian you won't forget. For new and old fans, it's a fun one to revisit. ____________________ Episode Content 00:00 Intro 05:23 The Car Chase 06:48 The Drain Tube 08:20 The Diner 10:40 The Escort 13:13 The Old Lady 15:23 The Police Station 19:02 The Victim 20:36 The Final Scene 22:42 Rotten Tomatoes 23:03 Junes' Review 26:11 Money's Review ____________________ STS Website scratchingthesurface100.com

Iconic characters and moments with enough one-liners to fill the whole damn boat, Jaws is a masterpiece. During the episode we reflect on what made this film an instant classic and why it still holds up well today. ____________________ Episode Content 00:00 intro 03:17 Great opening scenes 06:22 Quint's introduction 08:47 A shark, not THE shark 10:16 Comparison to "The Birds" 11:14 Political allegory 11:51 The 3 at sea 16:04 Battles at sea 17:44 Calm before the storm 20:12 Quint's death 21:27 Killing the shark 22:37 A happy ending 24:21 Rotten Tomatoes 24:52 Money's review 28:06 Junes' review 29:47 Final thoughts ____________________ STS Website scratchingthesurface100.com

The new release of In a Violent Nature gave us something fresh and new to immerse ourselves in, and there was no shortage of good kills! Yet, there were some bold choices that did not sit well with some viewers. I dive into the details and determine whether this is a true winner or loser of 2024. 00:00 Intro 01:50 3rd Person POV & nature 04:53 Opening scenes 06:52 1st victim 07:30 Johnny's legend 08:55 Campfire scene  09:20 Lack of victims  09:52 Campfire kill 10:52 Johnny dons his mask 11:24 Lake kill 12:59 Cliff kill 15:09 Ranger station scenes 16:24 Wood splitter kill 17:22 Last stand  18:41 Controversial ending 21:37 Final thoughts & rating 23:41 Top 3 of 2024?  www.scratchingthesurface100.com

STS hit 25 episodes. Thanks to anyone who's listened to us so far. You rock! To celebrate, we've covered the Sci-Fi/Horror powerhouse, Alien. Join us as we revisit LV-426 with the Nostromo crew, and experience the horrors that awaited them. And remember... in space, no one can hear you scream!  www.scratchingthesurface100.com

Who will survive and what will be left of them? This one is a bonafide classic in horror and one of the truest of the backwoods subgenre. During the episode we discuss the essence of Texas that is perfectly captured in the film, with heat stroked shots full of sweat, dirt, and so much blood. We also revere the strong ensemble cast, and the iconic character of Leatherface. 00:00 intro & initial thoughts 07:28 1st half 28:40 2nd half 42:08 ratings and final thoughts scratchingthesurface100.com

It appears Catholic horror is the theme of 2024 for the genre, and we're here for it! During #23 we go in-depth on the details of this crazy plot, talk about the healthy dose of gothic flavor, and contemplate the shocking ending. We name our favorite horror movie posters for our table talk. This episode does contain spoliers! 00:00 intro & initial thoughts 06:13 1st half 21:44 table talk 27:13 2nd half 43:50 ratings & final thoughts Website: https://stspod.wixsite.com/sts100

Special guest Collin Vetter and guest Tyler Schroeder join STS to cover the recent release of Immaculate. During this episode we define the Catholic subgenre of horror, praise the performance of rising star Sydney Sweeney, and examine the insidious motives withheld by the leaders of the convent. For table talk we discuss our favorite subgenres of Catholic horror. This episode does contain spoilers! 00:00 intro & initial thoughts 06:44 1st half 17:39 table talk 24:07 2nd half 34:52 ratings & final thoughts Website: https://stspod.wixsite.com/sts100

STS covers its second Blumhouse film of 2024 with the new release of Imaginary. The end product is a middle of the road horror film with little substance. We discuss meaningless characters, ineffective scares, and an absurd, half-baked final act. In our table talk we have open conversation about our favorite subgenres and what they mean to us. This episode does contain spoilers! 00:00 intro & initial thoughts 04:34 1st half 16:52 table talk 24:03 2nd half 35:26 ratings & final thoughts Website: https://stspod.wixsite.com/sts100

Guest Cynthia Schroeder joins STS. We discuss M. Night Shyamalan's 2016 film Split. Over the course of the episode, we unfold the horde of personalities within our main antagonist, touch on topics of abuse, and connect the dots in the Unbreakable trilogy. For table talk, we each choose a horror villain or monster we'd trade lives with. 00:00 intro & initial thoughts 02:15 1st half 15:24 table talk 22:34 2nd half 37:55 ratings & final thoughts Website: https://stspod.wixsite.com/sts100

Take a trip with us to the 80's where slashers got their roots. This one in particular is an icon. In episode 19 you'll hear topics including the rise of horror during this decade, the use of POV shots and off-screen deaths, and some questionable choreography. We briefly go over the franchise as a whole, namely touching on who Jason truly is and where he gets his power. We do keep five, cut five for our table talk. 00:00 intro and initial thoughts 04:10 1st half 19:39 table talk 34:10 2nd half 43:08 ratings and final thoughts Website: https://stspod.wixsite.com/sts100

Special guest Collin Vetter makes an appearance on STS. We review The Lodge from the directors that brought us Goodnight Mommy (2014). We look back on some of the most important moments of the film, discuss themes of mental illness, and debate the plot's significance. Our table talk for this episode is blind rankings. 00:00 intro & initial thoughts 06:26 1st half 18:57 table talk 26:10 2nd half 37:24 ratings & final thoughts Website: https://stspod.wixsite.com/sts100

A recent release from Blumhouse Productions yields middling results. Within this episode Money and I talk about the admittedly fresh premise in Night Swim, a deficiency of good characters, and an ending that had us shaking our heads. We question whether the Blumhouse name is still an indicator of quality horror. We do blind rankings for our table talk. 00:00 intro & initial thoughts 05:21 1st half 19:59 table talk 26:48 2nd half 41:06 ratings & final thoughts Website: https://stspod.wixsite.com/sts100

A well contained horror film with a plethora of scares, The Descent strikes all the right cords. We descend through the episode covering several high-stress moments, loss of trust amongst our protagonists, and the existence of the frightening creatures lurking below. We do blind rankings for our table talk. 00:00 intro & initial thoughts 03:15 1st half 21:27 table talk 26:19 2nd half 39:52 ratings & final thoughts Website: https://stspod.wixsite.com/sts100

STS tackles its first foreign film with Ringu. Critics seem to think this is peak modern horror; we test that opinion. During the episode we talk about the phenomenon Ringu became, the eeriness of the imagery, and an ending that was well received. We do blind rankings for our table talk. 00:00 intro & initial thoughts 04:49 1st half 19:55 table talk 26:38 2nd half 39:06 ratings & final thoughts Website: https://stspod.wixsite.com/sts100

Let's reexplore the 1982 film The Thing. An instant horror classic; groundbreaking for its time. In this episode we discuss the memorable characters, unmatched practical effects, and thrilling moments of speculation. Who contains the thing? We also introduce our first table talk to STS which occurs at the halfway point. 00:00 intro & initial thoughts 04:10 1st half 37:58 table talk 50:54 2nd half 01:17:00 ratings & final thoughts Website: https://stspod.wixsite.com/sts100

X pays homage to the backwoods subgenre in stunning fashion by utilizing extreme long-shots, and providing fun, memorable characters. One thing the film gets wrong is the plot, which we talk over. We also decry the characters of Maxxine and Pearl, two very similar women in different stages of life.   Website: https://stspod.wixsite.com/sts100

Evil lurks in rural Texas. A farming family tries to survive the week. During this episode we discuss the effective display of isolation and loss, with character deaths that feel more personal and real. We also exchange views on the films rather bleak and abrupt ending.   Website: https://stspod.wixsite.com/sts100

It's our Christmas special covering the original Black Christmas. Probably our biggest take away from this one is "Billy! Billy! Billy!". If you know, you know. During #11 we talk about the threat of home invasions, and specifically invasions of sororities, who were especially at risk in the 70's. We give credit to the director for creating a holiday feel whilst employing true terror, thanks to some eerie shots of an upstairs hallway and attic. Lastly, we debate the meaning of the film's ending and its disquieting nature.  Website: https://stspod.wixsite.com/sts100

Bedlam unfolds in this 2023 horror film Evil Dead Rise. Website: https://stspod.wixsite.com/sts100

Our reactions to the new holiday slasher Thanksgiving. Website: https://stspod.wixsite.com/sts100

This 1630 New England folktale is a slow burn, but well worth your time! Website: https://stspod.wixsite.com/sts100

The verdict is out; Talk to Me is scary fun. Website: https://stspod.wixsite.com/sts100

Let’s reexamine The Conjuring. A film that launched arguably the best horror franchise of the 21st century. Website: https://stspod.wixsite.com/sts100

In this Halloween special we delve into the 2018 reboot of Halloween. Website: https://stspod.wixsite.com/sts100

The gang gets together to exchange views on the new horror film Five Nights at Freddy's. Website: https://stspod.wixsite.com/sts100

Join us as we revisit the 2012 horror film Sinister. Website: https://stspod.wixsite.com/sts100

We have a bloody good time covering the newest installment of the Saw franchise Saw X. Website: https://stspod.wixsite.com/sts100

Our reaction and scores for The Exorcist: Believer. Website: https://stspod.wixsite.com/sts100

In this brief introductory episode, we discuss our love for the horror genre and set the tone for the episodes to come. Website: https://stspod.wixsite.com/sts100