Pleasers & Punishers

We’re kicking off Multi-Media May with an early found footage mockumentary from France that still feels transgressive and shocking today, while also packing in a surprising amount of humor. We’ll talk media literacy, serial killers, religion, and more as we drink our “dead baby boy” cocktails and trash Ryan Murphy for his salacious true crime adaptations. CW for discussions of sexual assault   Fin...

And so we bring Animalistic April to a close with David Cronenberg’s breakout body horror hit, featuring some of the most incredible and disgusting practical effects ever put to film. Giggles abound, as always, but we also dive into serious topics such as the AIDS epidemic, abortion laws, and more. So grab your baboon and sear up that steak before your flesh starts to melt off! Oh, and Ronald Reag...

Our penultimate foray in Animalistic April brings us to Kevin Smith’s oddity of a picture, about which we had some strong and divisive feelings. From the absolute failure of Guy La Pointe to the film’s use of body horror, we cover a lot of ground. So hop in your rental car and watch out for walrus dongs as we journey up to Canada. Content Waring: Discussion of CSA (Child Sexual Abuse)   Find us on...

For week three of Animalistic April, we’re coming forward in time to talk about Tilman Singer’s sci-fi/folk-horror feature, and lauding it with praise with the help of special guest BJ Colangelo. We’ll complain about trailers that give away too much, get into the history of bird people, shower Dan Stevens with compliments, and Mae will cry about having mommy issues! Hashtag birdsarentreal Disclaim...

Grab your gasoline & scoop up that goop because we’re talking Paul Schrader’s unhinged remake of Cat People for our continued journey through Animalistic April. We’re joined by Harmony Colangelo for discussions of gender dynamics, incest, & queerness, plus tangents about Star Wars & Tremors, and so, so many laughs.   Find us online: https://www.instagram.com/pleasersandpunishers https:...

Grab your maggot snacks and put your hisiit in the fridge because we’re heading to Sweden for a really weird time! From its roots in folklore to its modern depictions of non-humans, trans representation, and the evils of humanity, we’re covering a lot of ground and making some animal friends along the way. CW: CSA (child sexual abuse) discussion   Find us online: https://www.instagram.com/pleasers...

Do you read Sutter Cane? Because we sure do! And we’ve brought along fellow expert Andy Iwancio to find our way to the ending while Amanda is exploring unspeakable horrors (in Florida). We’ll praise the incredible practical effects, make fun of people’s inconsistent accents, and discuss everybody’s problematic fave, HP Lovecraft. Did we ever tell you our favorite color is blue?   Find us online: h...

This week, we continue our journey through March Madness with Elizabeth Taylor and her incredible dress in this twisty, turny 70s masterpiece for the sad, weird girlies. We’ll talk macrobiotic diets, fashion, mannequins, and more, with plenty of tangents and laughs, but also an earnest discussion about this harrowing story.   CW for discussion of SI (suicidal ideation) & self-harm   Find us on...

It’s another week of March Madness, and another episode of unrepentant giggling, because we’re once again joined by friend of the pod Jamie Alvey for our first ever four-person discussion! This should really be called “chaotic bisexuality: the podcast” We’re lacing up our corsets and gassing up our clay harvesters to dig into Guillermo Del Toro’s oft-misunderstood and overlooked Gothic epic. From...

It’s time for March Madness! And what better way to start off than with our first official triple-host episode on George Cukor’s “don’t trust your husband” genre standard, featuring an Oscar-winning performance from Ingrid Bergman. We’ll thirst over Joseph Cotton, discuss the etymology and maleable nature of language, and decide which cinematic jerk deserves the biggest punch in the face. CW for d...

Stifle those sniffles and break out your red sharpies, because we’re delving into the indie darling that introduced kink to so many people, and solidified Maggie Gyllenhaal as one of us freaks Closing out Fetish February, we’re joined again by Kayte Terry to discuss our personal relationships with kink, the film’s heightened reality, and comparisons to 50 Shades Of Grey CW for discussions of abusi...

This week is our first foray into the very controversial world of nazisploitation with a very messed up love(?) story. Returning to parse this out is Amanda Jane Stern, who brings us some incredible historical insights as well as infectious and uncontrollable giggles…we had to get through it somehow, right? Also, big content warning for discussion of SA   Find Amanda online: Letterboxd - witchywan...

Get ready for erotic subjugation and sapphic exploration, because we’re lacing up for Park Chan-Wook’s sexy crime/revenge thriller. Joining us is author, programmer, video editor, and film critic Payton McCarty-Simas, who brings incredible insights into the discussion, as we go on tangents about No Other Choice and learn a lot about Korean history.   Find us online: https://www.instagram.com/pleas...

Stay well-hydrated and don’t you dare wear those comfy pajamas, because this week we’re talking Peter Strickland’s kinky, sapphic love-letter to Jess Franco. From queer history and kink dynamics to this mysterious world without men, special guest Chelasea Stardust joins us as we search every nook and cranny for a place to curl up and sleep, because we’ve been bad… Just kidding, we’re the best!   F...

Hang out by the highway and get ready to stop & bang, because we’re closing out Giallo January talking about Lucio Fulci’s rural horror masterpiece with special guest Michael Varrati. From Barbara Bouchet’s inadvisable flirtations to the concept of a “murder twink”, tangents about M. Night Shyamalan, and the role of religion in small towns, we went long on this one!   *A few spoilers for some...

Pack your one dress and clean out that meat locker, because we’re heading to an isolated island for an Agatha-Christie-like Giallo from maestro Mario Bava! Tangents & giggles abound as we discuss Italian-German co-productions, Bava’s production design & style, and of course, Edwige Fenech!   Find us online: https://www.instagram.com/pleasersandpunishers https://bsky.app/profile/pleaserspun...

Life is like spaghetti—it’s hard until you make it! Join us for another installment of Giallo January as we cover Emilio P Miraglia’s final feature. From Giallo genre standards to ill-advised threesomes, we’ll once again confer with our occasional co-host Kayte Terry to get to the bottom of this potentially supernatural murder-mystery.   Find us online: https://www.instagram.com/pleasersandpunishe...

Pull on your black gloves, grab your straight razor, and organize your newspaper clippings, because we’re taking a deep dive into Dario Argento’s incredible giallo. From John Saxon’s hat to Argento’s penchant for defenestration, real life inspiration, and the world of film censorship, we’ll dig through all the clues to piece together this mystery!   Find us online: https://www.instagram.com/please...

Welcome to 2026, bitches. It’s our end of year review and we’re doing it a little differently than most folks, so buckle up! From first-time watches to major disappointments, pleasing punishers, and punishing pleasers, we’ll cover a lot of ground, and also go on a lot of tangents. Thanks for listening to us, and we look forward to bringing you more in a year that’s hopefully better than the last o...

Take your measurements and be careful with those mushrooms, because it’s time to dive into the world of mid-century fashion. We’re very divided on this film, from the kink dynamics to Daniel Day Lewis’s performance, but at least we agree on the incredible dresses!   Find us online: https://www.instagram.com/pleasersandpunishers https://bsky.app/profile/pleaserspunishers.bsky.social pleaserspunishe...

Patch your condoms and practice your singing saw, because we’re taking a trip to post-apocalyptic France in the debut feature from Jeunet & Caro. We’ll talk class struggles, advertisement idea theft, and the mixed effectiveness of the film’s whimsy. Plus, a test of Mae’s willpower against her coulrophobia!   Find us online: https://www.instagram.com/pleasersandpunishers https://bsky.app/profil...

Pop open some Timmy Chardonay & put out that cigarette, because we’re heading to Hawthorne for a meal you won’t forget… Joined by gastro-horror expert Sarah Stubbs, we go long discussing food, class, and the inherent misogyny in the restaurant industry. Plus, tangets about SOV & found-footage horror, weddings, and more.   Find Sarah online: @sarahstubbssays https://linktr.ee/sarahstubbssay...

Please take your seats for the beginning of Decadent December with our conversation about Peter Greenaway’s Brechtian, singular vision, rendered with gorgeous colour and grotesque imagery. Joining us is author & critic Gretchen Felker-Martin, who helps us parse out the film’s rich, horrifying world, and brings some excellent perspective about filmmaking and storytelling.   Find Gretchen online...

We’re closing out nunsploitation month with Jeff Baena’s underseen, raucus convent comedy. We’ll discuss its stacked cast, irreverent humor, and delightful horniness. We'll also get very giggly even as Caitlyn delves into the history of the middle ages & the damaging effects sexual repression, and Mae gets eager for a Brie & Franco sandwich.   Find us online: https://www.instagram.com/plea...

This week, we’re getting pervier than two horny nuns as we discuss Paul Verhoeven’s historical nunsploitation film. From masturbatory objects & self-flagellation to the ridiculousness of the catholic church & trans-masc jesus, we have zero filter. Joined again by honorary co-host Kayte Terry, we delve deeper than Bartolomea’s hand into whatever the hell was happening in Pescia in the 17th...