Plug It Up: A Horror Movie Podcast

Bob from Straight Chilling Podcast joins Caitlin to discuss their favorite PG-13 horror movies. Horror tends to live comfortably in the R rating, but with the right atmosphere, PG-13 horror can deliver some real scares. Let us know if we missed any of your favorites! Tangents include: voting, favorite characters from 2024 horror, autumn, a FMK, crocs, Youtube, our buddy Ripley, Outback Steakhouse,...

Rachel and Matilda from the Zombie Grrlz Podcast Network join Caitlin to cover The Substance, a new body horror movie from Coralie Fargeat. We talk about beauty standards, the dual self, self care vs self loathing, patriarchy, and more. It's a dense, stylized, vulnerable movie with lots to talk about. Tangents include: movies and shows that surprised us, health drinks, Terrifier, eating like no on...

Zach and Charlie join Caitlin to cover The Conjuring 2, set in jolly old England (so prepare yourselves for our accents and impressions). We talk about Ed and Lorraine Warren becoming Christian superheroes, and we discuss the "real life" case as it played out in Enfield. It's a silly, fun time. Tangents include: Charlie's wedding, dreams, LPOTL, Paranormal Activity, books we've re-read, thirst vs...

Maddie joins Caitlin to cover 2020's Becky, a horror comedy that explores the depths of tween girl rage. Lulu Wilson is great, and we get to see Kevin James in a dramatic role. It's a fun time! Tangents include: weddings, TLC, 2024 horror, fall, chaotic zodiac signs, backyard fires, Nicole Kidman, broken bones, sland, Thanksgiving, holiday decor, daylight savings, and sports uniforms. Be sure to c...

Mary joins Caitlin to cover their favorite ending scenes in horror movies. From entire end-sequences to punchy final-shots, we cover the best of the best. Standout themes include: good guys winning, bad guys winning, heart-stopping twists, harrowing bleakness, discomforting ambiguity, and the good ol' A24 stare. Tangents include: cybertrucks, quicksand, hurricanes, books and general [il]literacy,...

Victor joins Caitlin to discuss Oddity, a 2024 horror release from Ireland that we both really enjoyed. We talk about twins, vengeance, arrogance, and, of course, oddities. Check this one out on Shudder as soon as it's out! Tangents include: name origins, beverages, soundtracks, PSLs, porch swings vs tire swings, books, and hand replacements. 

Mathula of Hallelujah Dystopia joins Caitlin to cover The Devil's Bath, a quietly-released and beautifully-crafted 2024 horror movie. The movie touches on depression, sexuality, monstrous motherhood, and religious and old-world traditions, all while teaching us about the historical phenomenon of suicide by proxy. It's a harrowing watch, but it has rocketed up my 2024 horror rankings. Tangents incl...

Joe from Films at First Sight and No Film Left Behind joins Caitlin to cover 1994's Serial Mom, the monstrous motherhood classic from John Waters. 2024 marks Serial Mom's 30th anniversary, and we are thrilled to revisit it. We talk about our favorite jokes, our favorite kills, and just how John-Waters-y this movie is. Tangents include: a mini review of Trap, movies we wish we could rewatch for the...

Eric from Bloody Good Horror joins Caitlin to cover 2004's Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed. We revisit monstrous menstruation as a trope and praise the movie for being a truly excellent sequel. Tangents include: podcasting, snacks, PSLs, urban legends, easter eggs in horror movies, legs vs eyes count, werewolves vs regular dogs, soups, flaws that would save us in a horror movie, and animated movies. Be...

Soju from Straight Chilling Podcast joins Caitlin to cover 2002's Queen of the Damned, a movie about fame, loneliness, and desire. It's got soundtrack for the ages, and it hits some of our favorite vampire tropes. We also talk about Aaliyah and the tragic circsumtances surrounding her death. Tangents are mostly vampire related, as we got a ton of great vampire questions from the audience. We also...

Maddie and Colleen join Caitlin to cover MaXXXine, the third installment in Ti West's X franchise. We are pretty critical of the movie's shortcomings, but we enjoy talking about what could've been. It's a big entry to the 2024 horror catalog regardless of where you stand. Tangents are unhinged and many, and include: our beach week t-shirt exchange, Shyamalan, McAvoy, math, horror characters, corpo...

Zach and Nick join Caitlin to discuss Tarot, a 2024, PG-13 release. We discuss fate, monstrous motherhood, astrology, and, of course, tarot. It may not make the top of any lists, but it's a perfectly serviceable horror movie for tweens with some cool kills. Tangents include: Zach's birthday, Nick's knee, horror subgenres, 2024 horror so far, Shudder, candles, brands, chores, favorite teachers, and...

Mary joins Caitlin to discuss Longlegs, the highly anticipated new film from Oz Perkins and Neon. We talk about monstrous motherhood and the Satanic Panic, and we address the comparisons to Silence of the Lambs and Se7en. Tangents include: pets, a "would you rather," horror trope pet peeves, Mary's podcast bumpers, favorite art items, drinks for a crisp autumn evening, house colors, animals, execu...

This is a non-horror solo episode. Unless you count the trauma of growing up fat as horror (personally, I do). It's a weird and vulnerable episode where I talk about pretty privilege, thin privilege, and the frustration of wanting to reject beauty standards while feeling like you need to reach them in order to survive. It's a strange, dissonant space to exist in, but I hope it'll resonate with peo...

Colleen joins Caitlin to cover Bodies Bodies Bodies, a 2022 horror-comedy from A24. The movie touches on themes of technology, messy interpersonal relationships, and privilege, all while making us laugh. Forgive my goof of conflating Rachel Sennott and her character, Alice. Tangents include: Ms. New Booty, astrology, whisper singing, A24, Zach, podcasting, walking out of movies, swords, internet t...

Randy from the Straight Chilling Podcast joins Caitlin to talk about I Saw the TV Glow, a surreal new A24 movie from director Jane Schoenbrun. We talk about identity, gender, memory, nostalgia, and the importance of media. With its smart direction, melancholic tone, moody aesthetic, both universal and specific themes, and potent symbolism, it's a real accomplishment of a movie, and we have a lot o...

Bob joins Caitlin to cover After Midnight, a relatable, romantic monster movie from Jeremy Gardner. We talk about identity, interpersonal relationships, taking inventory of the past, and looking at the future. What a cast, what a soundtrack, and what direction! A banger, start to finish. Check it out; let us know what you think. Tangents include: physical media, Last Podcast on the Left, tikki dri...

Mary joins Caitlin to count down a list of the best redemption arcs in horror movies. What makes a good redemption? A swell of courage? Alignnment of a previously skewed moral compass? Teamwork while fighting a common enemy? Sacrifice? Join us as we analyze our favorites. Tangents include: backstories in horror, things we're looking forward to, best/worst movies of 2024 so far, selling your soul,...

I had the honor of interviewing writer, director, producer, actress, and film festival organizer Heidi Honeycutt . Heidi discusses her new book I Spit On Your Celluloid: The History of Women Directing Horror Movies, which is available for pre-order from Headpress Books . We talk about the making of Heidi's book, including her inspiration, her impressive research, and her findings. We also talk abo...

A solo episode with mini reviews on Immaculate and The First Omen, two similar movies that came out right around the same time. I talk about why the conversation around bod[il]y [autonomy] horror is particularly relevant right now, given the rollbacks to access to reproductive healthcare. Credit to Victor for the subtitle idea! Tangents and questions include: 2024 horror, television, books recs, p...

Zach and Charlie join Caitlin to cover Late Night with the Devil, one of 2024's most anticipated horror movies. We all loved the movie, which is a bottle piece told in real time. We dig a little deeper into Bohemian Grove ("the grove" mentioned in the movie), the AI controversy, the effects, the acting, and the film's overall themes. Tangents are many, and include: abortion Big Gulps, talk shows,...

Maddie and Colleen join Caitlin to cover Love Lies Bleeding, the A24 movie "by and for the world's dyke perverts." Naturally, we loved it. We talk about themes of: obsession, rage, catharsis, gender, and loving things that are bad for you; we also discuss magical realism, body horror, and the importance of media literacy in stories like these. Oh, and our theater experience was memorable. The revi...

Zach joins Caitlin to antagonize her, and to cover Abigail, a new release from the folks a Radio Silence Productions. It's a great horror comedy with an ensemble cast, lots of blood, and fun vampire lore. We also recount our somewhat eventful theater experience. Tangents include: trailers, 2024 horror releases, cartoon outfits, bugs, rings, taste buds, breakfast foods, and a slew of Would You Rath...

Keith from Horror Convos joins Caitlin to discuss The Ring (2002), a groundbreaking J-horror remake that many of us found formative. We discuss all kinds of Ring-things: monstrous motherhood, cultural and psychological influences around fear, practical effects, architecture as a storytelling element, color theory, scores, performances, and more. Sillier tangents include: urban legends, breakfast f...

Morgan from CandleCore and the Good For Her film screening series joins Caitlin to cover Sugar and Spice, a less-horror-more-heist comedy from 2001. We talk about sisterhood, americana, motherhood, and finding identity in archetypes in this stylized, subversive cult classic. It was very formative for both of us! Tangents include: Scream, Spice Girls, go-to breakfasts, pets, yearbooks, fireplaces v...