Let's Talk Media with Vedant Akhauri

The then-final installment of the Let's Talk Horror miniseries (under the broader podcast, Let's Talk Media) celebrates Scream (1996), the film directed by Wes Craven that revitalized and redefined the slasher subgenre after it had become stale and nearly dead in the mid-1990s. This is a self-aware horror film that uses meta humor to satirize the familiar cliches and tropes of 1970s and 80...

For Part 11, The Let's Talk Horror miniseries (under Let's Talk Media) dives into the divisive 2013 remake of Stephen King’s Carrie . The episode offers a nuanced take , asserting that while the film was likely unnecessary—a point even Stephen King questioned - it is not an awful movie, but rather a mixed bag. The episode outlines the film's attempts to update the classic tale, analyzi...

For Part 10, Let's Talk Horror (a mini-series under Let's Talk Media) dives into Hot Fuzz (2007), the second film in the Three Flavors Cornetto trilogy, directed by Edgar Wright and co-written with Simon Pegg. The movie is best described as taking a quiet English town and turning it into a Michael Bay film . Highly disciplined London super cop Nicholas Angel, who takes his job very serious...

Welcome back to Let's Talk Horror , the special miniseries from Let's Talk Media with Vedant Akhauri exploring the dark and scary side of media. In this chilling Part 9, host Vedant Akhauri interviews author Lance Marwood about his debut novel, the chilling supernatural thriller, The Charale (published March 1, 2025, by V13 Press ). The Charale dives into the intersection of supernatural and cosmi...

Welcome to this episode of Let's Talk Horror, a miniseries focusing on media in the horror landscape! For Part 8, we are joined by author and television veteran Eric Rogers , who discusses the wild ride behind his new novella, The Dryer - published by The Evil Cookie Publishing. The novella, published June 6, 2025, is described as high concept and high fun. This Stephen-King inspired story fol...

What if the deepest parts of ourselves—our shame, our fears, and our unspoken pain—are not threats to be avoided, but rather portals to wholeness ? In Episode 7 of Let's Talk Horror - a mini series of Let's Talk Media, host Vedant Akhauri interviews depth psychologist and best-selling author Melissa Kim Corter about her latest book, Apothecary for the Afflicted: Shadow Work for Invisible W...

Welcome to Let's Talk Horror , the special miniseries from Let's Talk Media exploring the dark and scary side of media, including monsters, myths, and metaphors. For Part 6, we dive into the feature film debut of long-time YouTube critic Chris Stuckmann: Shelby Oaks . This film is Executive Produced by Mike Flanagan; Story by Samantha Elizabeth and Chris Stuckmann; Written by Chris Stuckma...

Welcome to Let's Talk Horror , the miniseries from Let's Talk Media ! For Part 5, we dive into the dark and witchy world of The Craft (1996), the original classic that fundamentally redefined what teen horror could look like . More than just a movie about witches using spells, The Craft is a powerful c oming-of-Age story, a c autionary Tale , and a s upernatural Thriller centered on female...

Welcome to Let's Talk Horror , a miniseries presented by Let's Talk Media ! In this special episode, we dive into the darkly comedic and deeply resonant film, Friendship . Host Vedant Akhauri and guest Tess Chang unpack why this movie - a blend of comedy, drama, and psychological horror - struck such a chord. Friendship follows reclusive man Craig Waterman (Tim Robinson), who forms an unex...

Welcome back to Let's Talk Horror , the special miniseries presented by Let's Talk Media. For Part 3, we're diving into Kaneto Shindō's classic 1964 film , Onibaba . Set in medieval, war-torn Japan, this unsettling film is an earthly masterpiece and is arguably one of the most physically felt horror movies ever made. Onibaba centers on two unnamed women surviving off violence, desire, and hunger i...

Let's Talk Media presents Let's Talk Horror , a special Halloween miniseries exploring the monsters, myths, and metaphors that haunt our screens and our daily lives. Dive deep into one of the most iconic horror films and debut novels of all time! Let's Talk Horror Part 2 tackles Stephen King's Carrie , exploring the novel's origin, its structure, the classic 1976 film adaptatio...

Let's Talk Media presents Let's Talk Horror , a special Halloween miniseries exploring the monsters, myths, and metaphors that haunt our screens and our daily lives. In this episode, host Vedant Akhauri interviews Nicholas Tana, an award-winning horror director ( Hell's Kitty ) and corporate veteran with experience at Disney, Fox, and ESPN. Tana unpacks his witty and insightful manifes...

What are the invisible costs and systemic roadblocks that make living with a disability a constant battle? In this episode, author and disability coach Alison Hayes provides a crucial "user's manual" for navigating a world not built for everyone. Drawing from her own journey with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND), a stress-responsive condition causing unpredictable neurological symptoms, Alis...

Disclaimer: This episode contains sensitive discussions about the medical profession in regards to mental health, burnout, and suicide. Listener discretion is advised. If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, please call your nearest suicide prevention hotline. The medical field is a ticking time bomb , and the statistics are shocking. In the UK, a doctor dies by suicide ev...

Ever dreamed of meeting your heroes at fan-cons but were too terrified by the confusing rules and SHOCKING hidden costs? You're not alone. This is the ULTIMATE guide to conquering the con scene . Join host Vedant Akhauri as he interviews veteran con-goer Aaron Bossig (Author of Convention Survival Guide: How to make the most of your first sci-fi, fantasy, or comic con ). He reveals tips that c...

Host Vedant Akhauri sits down with Sarah Marie Thiessen, founder of Wild Love Media . She's a wedding photographer and videographer with 12 years of experience. Her specialty is destination and adventure photography , and documenting unique love stories and travels. Sarah is also the host of The Wild Love Story Podcast , where she dives deep into couples' romantic journeys, relationship ch...

What happens when you combine the global force of K-pop with the supernatural action of demon hunting? You get K-Pop Demon Hunters , the surprise animated hit that's taken critics and audiences by storm. In this episode of Let's Talk Media , host Vedant Akhauri records his raw, immediate, and unfiltered thoughts after finally seeing the film that everyone has been recommending. Initially s...

Host Vedant Akhauri welcomes Lauren Otto, a talented streamer ( Ottobot93 ) and writer. We analyze four iconic Studio Ghibli films and one enchanting short film, offering unique insights and analyses from a devoted fan. For those who missed it, "Studio Ghibli - Part 1" with Richard Ramos covered Spirited Away , The Wind Rises , My Neighbor Totoro , and Princess Mononoke , available in the podcast'...

Tune in for the final re-release of a 2021 "Let's Talk Media" episode, featuring Vedant Akhauri and Richard Ramos , as they explore Hayao Miyazaki's critically acclaimed film, The Wind Rises, a section of the original episode (Studio Ghibli: Part 1) . Originally recorded on February 19th, 2021, this discussion delves into one of Studio Ghibli's most unique and profound works. Unlike many of Miyaza...

Step into a world where gods and humans clash! Join Vedant Akhauri and Richard Ramos for a compelling re-release of their in-depth 2021 discussion on Studio Ghibli's monumental film, Princess Mononoke . This episode delves deep into one of Hayao Miyazaki's most complex and enduring masterpieces. It's originally part of a broader conversation on multiple Ghibli films (from the episode - Ghibli Film...

Welcome to this re-release of a 2021 discussion between Vedant Akhauri and Richard Ramos . This episode is part of a series of re-releases designed to allow listeners to access discussions about individual Studio Ghibli movies on a one-time basis. The original recording date for this discussion was February 19th, 2021. Here are the key aspects discussed regarding Howl's Moving Castle : Nature of t...

Join Vedant Akhauri for a magical, enhanced journey into Studio Ghibli's timeless classic, My Neighbor Totoro ! This isn't just a re-release; it's the definitive Totoro episode, packed with exclusive new content. Originally part of a larger 2021 discussion, Vedant felt the beloved film deserved more. So, for this episode, he's added: Fresh 2025 Analysis : Hear Vedant's personal...

Welcome to this re-release episode of Let's Talk Media with Vedant Akhauri. Originally recorded on February 19th, 2021 , this isn't a new conversation, but a meticulously preserved segment from an extensive 2021 discussion where host Vedant Akhauri and guest Richard Ramos (a Film BFA graduate from Ithaca College '20) initially delved into five Studio Ghibli movies all at once (mistaken...

Host Vedant Akhauri welcomes filmmaker Kyle McCue to the podcast to discuss his insights on AI in filmmaking, particularly his current feature film project, Roleplay , which explores AI companions. Kyle offers a unique perspective on the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence in the media industry, sharing his experiences in screenwriting and independent filmmaking. You'll learn: Behind...

This is our 100th episode , a special installment where we delve into the essential ins and outs of the acting world and entertainment industry . Host Vedant Akhauri is incredibly honored to welcome Jessie Liang , a Taiwanese Brazilian actress with over seven years of diverse experience spanning films, TV commercials, and theater . Jessie is dedicated to helping emerging actors demystify the indus...