The Birds (1963) is a classic creature feature with an even more terrifying backstory and making-of. Ghouls discuss this sleepy film, the potential themes, and the interesting approach to storytelling. Gabe also explores the real horror of the film: Hitchcock's unhealthy obsession and torture of Tippi Hedren. Kat shares facts about the most dangerous birds and if we should be afraid of birds. Gabe even gives us a taste of a fun true-crime theory involving birds! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-ghouls-next-door/support

Beast starring Idris Elba is a suspenseful, family-driven story where one father fights to protect his family while another (furry and vicious) father fights to avenge the loss of his own. An expected film with heartfelt moments, Ghouls unpack this sleeper film. Kat shares what to do when you encounter a lion and also, maybe some things you shouldn't do. (Thanks WikiHow!) --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-ghouls-next-door/support

Slotherhouse is an absurd new horror film that follows a killer sloth in a sorority. It is exactly as you imagine it is. Ghouls talk about where it hits and misses. Kat shares fun, unexpected facts about sloths. Do they have the capacity to kill? The answer might surprise you! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-ghouls-next-door/support

Cocaine Bear is a quirky, dark comedy that charmed the Ghouls. Full of memorable characters, a villain you root for, and some helpful tips to survive a bear attack. Ghouls talk about the film and Kat shares some instructions on how to know when a bear means business and what to do in the event they do. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-ghouls-next-door/support

James Wan's Malignant is a truly unique film with creative imagery, a troublesome plot, and unforgettable stunts. This episode is ripe with spoilers because it's quite difficult to understand the story without knowing the truth. Ghouls discuss the "twist" ending, the hilarious stunts, and what they think would've made it even better. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-ghouls-next-door/support

Insidious is a fun franchise of dreamwalkers, demons, and hereditary trauma. The Ghouls discuss all 5 films, the good, the bad, and the hideous (looking at you Insidious 3). --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-ghouls-next-door/support

Though the Ghouls have strong, negative feelings about the Warrens, the films have been a fun watch for them as horror lovers. Ghouls discuss the three Conjuring films, the real cases of the Warrens (both covered and not covered in the films), and why giving the Warrens a film make-over is a bad look. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-ghouls-next-door/support

The Ghouls walk you through the first 9 Saw movies, the traps that haunt their nightmares, and who their least favorite proteges are. We sorted, or attempted to, the storyline of the franchise. Some of Jigsaw's victims make sense while others feel like a low blow. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-ghouls-next-door/support

The Saw Franchise is an important thread in the fabric of horror history. Known for the elaborate, gory, and challenging traps, Saw will leave an ache in your bones. The Ghouls have never been so aware of their individual body parts before. In this first part of our Saw coverage, the Ghouls start to question the motives and the holier-than-thou message John Kramer has for his victims. And they begin to unpack the many layers of the dense story of the franchise, the numerous proteges and more. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-ghouls-next-door/support

The Paranormal Activity franchise holds a special place in the Ghouls' hearts. The first film revived the Found Footage sub-genre (Gabe's favorite) and the films often promised creative jump scares and a slow burn. However, in trying to expand the universe the films began answering questions we never asked while never addressing plot holes or questions we did have. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-ghouls-next-door/support

Final Destination is one of the Ghouls' favorite series! What happens when you beat Death only to have them return with vengeance? With some of the most memorable and creative deaths in the horror genre, the series is a fun slasher with a faceless villain. Did these people really ruin Death's plan or was this all a part of Death's twisted game? --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-ghouls-next-door/support

The Alien Franchise is what we like to refer to as Listen-to-Women the film because if only any of the other characters did just that, we'd avoid this sticky, acid, chest-bursting mess. Ghouls are talking about the entire Alien franchise (sans AVP, already covered in our Predator episode), yes even Alien^3. Why won't they let Ripley die? --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-ghouls-next-door/support

The Predator franchise is full of fun action-packed slashers. The first one stars one of the Ghouls' favorite final girls, Arnold Schwarzenegger. The films that follow are a mix of fun and why did this get made? We unpack each of the films (including Alien vs. Predator). We watched them so you don't have to! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-ghouls-next-door/support

The Cyberpunk franchise is one that highlights countercultural antiheroes trapped in a dehumanizing high-tech future. Kat talks about the history of the Cyberpunk world and explains the bleak picture of the video game. Gabe discusses the sad and too-real characters of the mini-series, Edgerunners and their complicated relationship with tech, healthcare, and their identities in a world intent on erasing the impoverished. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-ghouls-next-door/support

Dune is an expansive science fiction world created by Frank Herbert with characters, societies, and tropes intended to reflect real-world issues. Ghouls are joined by Dune fan, Mike Levitt who tells them what the book is about, what happens in the film, what doesn't happen in the film, and why we should care about Dune at all. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-ghouls-next-door/support

Star Trek is a story of perseverance, hope, and potential. This show has a robust history that has shaken the television landscape in a variety of ways. What does a future with free healthcare, different species, and the potential to have anything made in an instant do to humanity? Ghouls are joined by Trekspert, Kennedy Allen of Women at Warp, and Your Away Team to talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly of Trek. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-ghouls-next-door/support

The Expanse is a phenomenal work of science fiction that highlights the resilience and power of people against all odds. This is a show that is as close to scientifically accurate as we can get and features some truly impressive science, language, and history. Ghouls invite mythologist and transmedia creator, Li Sumpter (@MythMediaStudios) to talk about Afrofuturism, our place amongst the stars, and preparing for the inevitable from a place of community care. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-ghouls-next-door/support

American Psycho is a brilliantly satirical and comical view of the toxicity of consumerism and masculinity. Bateman is an absurd villain that's remarkably not too far from the truth. Gabe discusses the outrageous villain and Kat explores the science of wealth's impact on our brains. Sources in this Episode: American Psycho: A Message on Consumerism How Money Changes the Way You Think and Feel How Money Affects the Psychology of the Extremely Rich Other Reviews on American Psycho: Materialism and Consumption Theme in American Psycho | LitCharts American Psycho- Materialism over Morals and the loss of identity | by Ben Elliott | Medium American Psycho: Materialism, Misogyny and Machismo | The Dissolve Patrick Bateman's Psychology as a Result of Materialism and Consumer Culture Materialism in Bret Easton Ellis American Psycho and F Scott Fitzgeralds The great Gatsby  Consumerism and Madness in Mary Harron's American Psycho American Psycho: A Message on Consumerism (PDF) Painful Lust: Status and Consumerism in American Psycho “Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter Here”: The Critique Of Consumer Society In American Psycho and Fight Club The unattainable narrative: identity, consumerism and the slasher film in Mary Harron's American Psycho How American Psycho Serves as The White Man's Code for Behavioral Dysfunction How American Psycho Predicted the Capitalism Masculinity and Chaos of 2020 --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-ghouls-next-door/support

Severance is a horrifying examination of America's corporate culture and the predatory power of those corporations. What does it mean to separate yourself from your "work" self, to remove yourself from any accountability for your actions at work, and to become a corporate slave? Through the pandemic, we've seen a rise in worker power that has afforded us many improvements from the physical office spaces, to better pay, and a stronger sense of importance for our lives outside of work. Sources in this episode: Apple TV+'s 'Severance' Nails How Absolutely Inhuman Our Work Culture Is | Huffpost 4 fascinating things we learned from the 'Severance' companion book | Mashable It’s still possible to get what you want at work: The era of worker power isn’t over | Vox Severance’s workplace brutality isn’t sci-fi. Neither is its worker power | Vox “Slavery by Another Name” | PBS Ways to Help - Unionize! Building Worker Power | Economic Policy Institute  Worker Power  Get Support - Emergency Workplace Organizing Committee | Worker Organizing Organizing Guide | Worker Organizing --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-ghouls-next-door/support

The Platform is an unsubtle and disgusting film that confronts our acceptance of our toxic and abusive systems of power. It addresses in a terribly unsubtle way the false promises of trickle-down economics. And more importantly, leaves us with a hope for the future, one in which the children of tomorrow can break the system. Sources in this Episode: The Platform Director’s Ending Explanation Is as Intriguing as the Movie | Collider In The Platform Trailer, Trickle-Down Economics Turns Into a Literal Feeding Frenzy Trickle-Down Economics: The Basics of Trickle-Down Theory Other Reviews about The Platform: The Twist Ending to Netflix's the Platform Explained | Forbes Netflix's class warfare movie 'The Platform' has struck a chord. Two economists explain why | LA Times  Falling Into the Ethical Abyss of the Platform | Horror Homeroom  The Platform Director’s Ending Explanation Is as Intriguing as the Movie | Collider The Platform Review: Netflix Horror Movie Sees the Hell of Capitalism | IndieWire A Critical Analysis of “The Platform,” a Gut-Wrenching Allegory | The Treaty The Platform (2019) – Difference, Power, and Discrimination in Film and Media: Student Essays An Analysis of the Platform, Netflix's Sensation Movie | Latin American Post ‘The Platform’ Review: An Accidentally Timely Political Allegory | The New York Times --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-ghouls-next-door/support