Imported Horror

Adam MacDonald's Backcountry is crisp and brutal. Its ending leaves viewers with all the feels - and potentially a major misunderstanding of a critical piece of camping safety. Marcus and Melissa break down the gripping conclusion and explore what the film and its characters got right and wrong about wilderness survival. Spoilercasts are short bonus episodes that break down spoilers and endings fo...

Nature is stone cold savage. So is Adam MacDonald's "Backcountry." The film about lost campers in bear country uses deeply disorienting cinematography and stellar acting - both scripted and improvisational - to make the viewer feel exposed and hunted. Also, would you rather watch a film where chattering raccoons fend off a zombie horde, or become possessed by aliens and go on a killing spree? In b...

Ever wonder how a zombie plague would shake out in Cuba? Juan of the Dead is a fresh, gory and original zombie flick with genuine laughs and impressive tracking shots. Zombie slaying montages also mask subversive commentary on a nation that is frequently demonized and misunderstood by outsiders. Also, do you remember the 90s? Would you rather deal with an evil Ghostwriter, or an evil Wishbone? Mot...

Marcus, Melissa and Grady discuss standout jump scares and stranger plot points in Ju-On and The Grudge. They also make Futurama jokes. Spoilercasts are short bonus episodes that break down spoilers and endings for movies and television shows covered in previous episodes. We recommend you listen to the previous full episode on Ju-On: The Grudge and The Grudge before  listening to this spoilercast.

When someone dies in an extreme rage, a curse is born. When it happens in Japan, it becomes a cult classic and spawns several sequels and remakes. But are they deserved? Is Ju-On a nostalgic reminder of a famous cultural moment for Japanese horror, or has it aged well as a uniquely frightening film? Marcus, Melissa and Grady dive into the Japanese original and the 2004 American remake. Also, is Ti...

Anna and the Apocalypse begins and ends in two very different places. Melissa and Marcus explore the film's abrupt change in tone, the emotional decisions in its third act and how the movie could have voiced the same theme without feeling so jarring. Spoilercasts are short bonus episodes that break down spoilers and endings for movies and television shows covered in previous episodes. We recommend...

If you were running from zombies, would you sing about it? The offbeat and catchy "Anna and the Apocalypse" creatively blends Christmas, the zombie apocalypse and high school musicals, winning deserved comparisons to several sing songy cult classics. The film struggles with tone deaf inconsistencies, though. What begins as a rousing horror comedy abruptly changes keys into a mournful elegy that fa...

Most twins know what the other twin is thinking. They don't even have to speak - and in this haunting Austrian arthouse film, Lukas and Elias are creepy beyond and without words. At least, Melissa found them scary. Marcus is mostly unfazed by twinspeak. Also, would you rather have a ghost girl following you around threatening you in an adult man's voice, or a ghost boy following you around and wai...

An ancient Jewish legend comes to life as "The Golem," a monster wrought of mud and wrath that becomes an uncontrollable double-edged sword. The film is visually stunning and entirely convincing as a fable and period piece; as a monster horror film, though, Marcus and Melissa found it lacking. Also, would you rather watch a movie about zombies rampaging through a Jewish deli or a savage grandmothe...

The final episode of Marianne is deeply tense. It absolutely works on an emotional level. Logically, though, it misses a few beats. Marcus and Melissa try to plug a handful of plot holes and criticize the inevitable season two - a decision that feels based on business considerations, not on the story itself. Spoilercasts are short bonus episodes that break down spoilers and endings for movies and...

Novels are supposed to be fiction - even novels about horrifying and possessive medieval witches. But Marianne is real, haunting the picturesque seaside town of Elden and its most famous author. Marcus and Melissa binge France's "Marianne," a show that reflects the best of "It" and Stephen King. Also, would you rather right a flock of murderous super turkeys, or get lost in a cranberry bog with a...

On a spooky and technical level, the ending of Shutter was fantastic. On an ethical level, though, its portrayal of some pretty heavy topics was problematic. Marcus and Melissa consider what holds up and what doesn't about the Thai original and American remake. Spoilercasts are short bonus episodes that break down spoilers and endings for movies and television shows covered in previous episodes. W...

Have you ever been terrified by a polaroid? You will be. "Shutter" offers a master class in low-tech creepiness, mixing old school dark rooms with an unsettling ghost story. The American remake has a "super crush" from Melissa's younger years - but, sadly, that's the only remotely positive thing the film has going for it. Also, would you rather have a name that's frequently misgendered, or a name...

Everything looks better with a gothic Mexican paint job - especially when Cerberus graces the hood of a vintage Ford Galaxie aptly named The Hound. "Diablero" is Latin America's answer to "Supernatural," an unapologetic and campy tour of Mexico City and its vibrantly costumed  demonio . Marcus and Melissa explore the blended indigenous and Roman Catholic roots of the show, its mythology, and its e...

Nazis are bad. Zombies are bad, too. Nazi zombies are particularly nasty - especially when you're snowed into a remote wilderness cabin in the dead of winter. Marcus and Melissa are pining for the fjords as they set off to slay the fascist undead in Norway's "Dead Snow" and "Dead Snow 2: Red vs. Dead." Both are bloody entertaining, but the original feels more sincere and horrifying. Also, at what...

On All Hallow's Eve, we are all creatures of the night. To celebrate we set our dark powers to Halloween trivia featuring never-before-heard guest co-hosts Emily and Grady. Then, we turn our dark bidding to the famously quotable What We Do In the Shadows (New Zealand, 2014) and it's inventive American television counterpart (USA, 2019-). Also, did the demon from The Exorcist get bored when his hos...

There's a lost town in Argentina, somewhere off the grid. Nobody knows how to get there, or why werewolves and witches seem so normal there, but everyone knows they have a radio station. Marcus and Melissa tune in to the offbeat Kirlian Frequency, a show where the eerie animation and creepy dialogue never seem to tell the same story. Melissa likens it to foreboding rural radio that's always got a...

The ending of Patrick Graham's Ghoul left us grinning, but also with a few lingering questions. Marcus and Melissa explore the dystopian supernatural horror. Spoilercasts are short bonus episodes that break down spoilers and endings for movies and television shows covered in previous episodes. We highly recommend you listen to the previous full episode on Ghoul before  listening to this spoilercas...

Ever wonder what's scarier than a black site detention center in a fascist dictatorship? Try an Islamic ghoul bent on exposing the guilt and shame of the interrogators. This week, Marcus and Melissa geek out about George Orwell and Patrick Graham's "Ghoul," a dystopian horror that's light on gore and deep on psychological unease. The also both miss Jon Stewart and wonder how Dana Scully would fare...

Jennifer Kent's The Babadook says a great deal about mental illness. So does its ending. Marcus and Melissa break down the ending and the metaphor at the heart of the film. Spoilercasts are short bonus episodes that break down spoilers and endings for movies and television shows covered in previous episodes. We highly recommend you listen to the previous full episode on The Babadook  before  liste...

Don't look up - there might be a dapper monster skittering across your ceiling. Don't look down - it might be in the creepy pop-up book you're reading to your child. Marcus and Melissa dive deep into Jennifer Kent's "The Babadook," a terrifying film that combines stunning visuals with a surprisingly realistic take on mental illness. Also, they discuss the Babadook's post-movie life as a gay icon a...

Luca Guadagnino's Suspiria paints a haunting portrait of consent and female empowerment. It also has a confusing ending. Melissa, a first generation American from an Italian family, explains the film's conclusion and compares it to the surprisingly different 1977 original. Also, Marcus is flabbergasted by Tilda Swinton's powers of deception. Spoilercasts are short bonus episodes that break down sp...

An ancient coven of witches masquerades as a prominent dance troupe during the day - but at night, they're far more interested in human sacrifice, nudity and the macabre. Luca Guadagnino's remake of the Italian cult classic exploits darkness and 70s film techniques to compose deep feelings of dread in near constant motion, both physically and metaphorically. Marcus and Melissa debate whether this...

Can one film be a cliche romcom, a shocking zombie horror and unashamed fan fiction all at once? This week, Marcus and Melissa head back to the Winchester for a pint and Shaun of the Dead, which has almost as much behind the scenes mythology as Apocalypse Now. Along the way they nerd out about tracking shots and Queen. Also, Melissa makes an arcane distinction between slow zombies and fast "rage v...

Train to Busan offers a textbook example of how to end a horror movie. It even made Melissa cry. M&M discuss the ending and debate a mansplaining allegation. Spoilercasts are short bonus episodes that break down spoilers and endings for movies and television shows covered in previous episodes. We highly recommend you listen to the previous full episode on Train to Busan  before  listening to this...