Never Seen It Podcast

Is Backrooms the first truly great internet horror movie? This week, we explore one of the year's most talked-about films, Backrooms (2026) . We break down Kane Parsons' ambitious adaptation of the viral Backrooms phenomenon and discuss why this psychological horror film succeeds by focusing on memory, trauma, and identity rather than traditional jump scares. We examine the film's use of liminal s...

Can a movie still be satisfying if it never gives you the answers? This week we discuss Broken Flowers (2005) , director Jim Jarmusch's contemplative road movie starring Bill Murray as Don Johnston, a man who receives an anonymous letter claiming he has an adult son he never knew existed. We break down why Jarmusch refuses to follow traditional Hollywood storytelling, the film's unforgettable ambi...

This week on the Never Seen It Podcast, we take a deep dive into Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver (1976) as the legendary film celebrates its 50th anniversary. Starring Robert De Niro, Jodie Foster, Cybill Shepherd, Harvey Keitel, and Albert Brooks, Taxi Driver remains one of the defining films of the New Hollywood era. We explore how Travis Bickle's isolation, insomnia, and growing detachment from s...

On this episode of the Never Seen It Podcast, we welcome filmmaker Kent Kay, Emmy-nominated storyteller Crystal Harrell, and musician and production crew member Kurt Schawacker to discuss their acclaimed short film, Name Tag . What began as a deeply personal poem evolved into a moving cinematic exploration of identity, visibility, self-doubt, and the labels we carry throughout our lives. Crystal s...

This week on Never Seen It , we revisit Tim Burton's 1994 masterpiece Ed Wood , starring Johnny Depp , Martin Landau , Patricia Arquette , Sarah Jessica Parker , Bill Murray , and an incredible ensemble cast. Often overshadowed by Burton favorites like Beetlejuice , Edward Scissorhands , and Batman , we discuss why Ed Wood may actually be one of the director's most heartfelt and accomplished films...

This week on Never Seen It, we finally sink our teeth into Jennifer’s Body (2009) — the horror cult classic that went from misunderstood box office flop to one of the most beloved feminist horror movies of the modern era. Joined once again by returning guest Jessica Kwazz, we explore how the film’s marketing completely failed the movie, why Megan Fox deserved far more credit for her performance, a...

In this episode of Never Seen It , we strap into the Mach 5 and revisit the wildly ambitious 2008 live-action Speed Racer from The Wachowskis — a movie that bombed at the box office but has since become a genuine cult classic. We discuss why the film struggled financially upon release despite its groundbreaking visual style, massive budget, and all-star cast including Emile Hirsch, Christina Ricci...

In this episode of the Never Seen It Podcast, we review and analyze Shelby Oaks — the highly anticipated indie horror movie directed by Chris Stuckmann and produced with support from Mike Flanagan. We discuss how a former YouTube movie reviewer successfully crowdfunded one of the biggest horror Kickstarter campaigns ever, eventually landing backing from Neon. From there, we unpack whether Shelby O...

In this episode of the Never Seen It podcast, we discuss Spring Breakers — the polarizing crime-drama fever dream directed by Harmony Korine. Going into the film, many of us expected a raunchy college comedy in the vein of early 2010s party movies. Instead, we found ourselves trapped inside a hypnotic, neon-lit art house experiment filled with crime, violence, sex, drugs, existential emptiness, an...

In this episode, we dive deep into Backdraft (1991) , the classic firefighter thriller directed by Ron Howard and starring Kurt Russell, William Baldwin, Robert De Niro, and Donald Sutherland. We explore how Backdraft blends action, mystery, and emotional storytelling through its central theme of brotherhood—both literal and symbolic. The film follows two feuding firefighter brothers navigating a...

In this episode of The Never Seen It Podcast , we take on one of the wildest low-budget horror films out there: Llamageddon (2015). Yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like—a killer llama from outer space terrorizing a group of unsuspecting partygoers. We’re joined by special guest Mel, a film content creator and horror enthusiast, who brings her love of low-budget cinema and creature features to the...

In this episode, we break down Eyes Wide Shut, the final film from legendary director Stanley Kubrick. We explore how this psychological drama blends erotic tension, conspiracy, and philosophical themes into a deeply unsettling look at relationships and power. We start by examining the film’s central conflict: what happens when emotional intimacy becomes more threatening than physical infidelity?...

In this episode, we sit down to discuss Rental Family , a deeply emotional and thought-provoking film that explores loneliness, identity, and the human need for connection. Through Brendan Fraser’s vulnerable performance as a struggling actor in Japan, the film introduces us to the world of “rental families”—a service where people hire others to play roles in their lives. We unpack how the film us...

In this episode, we dive deep into JCVD and unpack the complicated legacy of Jean-Claude Van Damme as both an action icon and a serious actor. We ask the big question: is JCVD actually a great actor, or is he just wildly inconsistent? We start by analyzing Van Damme’s performance, highlighting how he delivers genuinely powerful acting in select moments—particularly in emotionally vulnerable scenes...

In this episode, we welcome Guy Rosefelt—engineer, event producer, and longtime contributor to the worlds of film, television, and Comic-Con culture—for a wide-ranging and deeply entertaining conversation. We kick things off by exploring Guy’s unique career path, from engineering and Air Force service to working behind the scenes in live entertainment production. His journey highlights how creativ...

In this special episode, we revisit the Academy Awards with a full Oscars recap and analysis , breaking down the biggest wins, shocking snubs, and ongoing debates shaping the film industry. We take a deep dive into the Best Picture race , comparing One Battle After Another and Sinners , and discuss why one film ultimately took home the top prize while the other may have captured audiences’ hearts....

In this episode, we take a deep dive into Trainspotting, the 1990's grunge classic directed by Danny Boyle that redefined indie filmmaking in the 1990s. We explore how the film captures the gritty reality of heroin addiction, toxic friendships, and the nihilistic mindset of a generation rejecting traditional life paths. We discuss standout performances, especially from Ewan McGregor as Mark Renton...

In this special Oscars preview episode of The Never Seen It Podcast , we sit down with Castle Rock Film Festival director and filmmaker Hunter Burns to break down the biggest contenders heading into the 2026 Academy Awards. From the major categories to the overlooked technical achievements, we dive deep into what films might dominate the night and which ones could surprise everyone. We start by di...

In this episode of The Never Seen It Podcast , we discuss Marty Supreme , the 2025 period sports drama directed by Josh Safdie and set in the early 1950s. Marketed as an Oscar contender, the film follows Marty Mauser, a young man obsessed with becoming the world’s greatest ping pong champion. But beneath the sports movie surface, we found something deeper. We explore whether Marty is truly an anti...

In this episode of The Never Seen It Podcast , we dive deep into Fantastic Four: First Steps , the latest reboot of Marvel’s First Family, and ask the big question: Did Marvel finally get it right? We explore how this new take stacks up against the previous Fantastic Four films—including the early 2000s version starring Jessica Alba and the 2015 reboot—and whether this 2025 iteration feels like a...

In this episode of The Never Seen It Podcast , we dive into Guillermo del Toro’s highly anticipated 2025 adaptation of Frankenstein . We’re joined by Arnie, Amber, Alex (aka Filipino Grigio), Chris (MilkmanAmerica), and Donnie for a wild, funny, and surprisingly deep discussion about one of literature and cinema’s most iconic monsters. We kick things off by talking about why this movie was chosen,...

In this episode of The Never Seen It Podcast , we dive headfirst into Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another,” one of the most talked-about films of the 2025–2026 awards season. With a stacked cast including Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Teyana Taylor, Chase Infinity, Regina Hall, Wood Harris, Tony Goldwyn, and Benicio Del Toro , this film has quickly become a lightning rod for controver...

In this episode, we take on Good Boy (2025) —a haunting, emotionally strange horror film told largely through the eyes of a dog. The movie follows Indy, a loyal pup who moves with his owner Todd to a rural family home that may—or may not—be cursed. What begins as an eerie atmosphere slowly unfolds into something deeper, as the house, the illness, and the past all seem to blur together. We talk abo...

In this episode of The Never Seen It Podcast , we take a deep, thoughtful, and often hilarious look at Train Dreams (2025), the Clint Bentley–directed period drama starring Joel Edgerton , Felicity Jones , and a scene-stealing William H. Macy . Chosen by special returning guest Chris (MilkmanAmerica) , Train Dreams is described as “a thinking movie and a feeling movie” that challenges the idea of...

In this episode of Never Seen It , we unpack Bugonia (2025), the latest mind-bending film from director Yorgos Lanthimos , and one of his most deceptively accessible movies to date. We went in blind—and quickly found ourselves spiraling into questions about conspiracy culture, corporate power, alienation (literal and metaphorical), and how trauma reshapes reality. We break down the film’s central...