148 - The Monster Squad (1987) & Attack the Block (2011)

CW: Homophobia, Bullying

Read our afterthoughts for this episode here!

It’s Kids-Fighting-Monsters Week on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey start a club and merc some aliens.

The Classic Film: The Monster Squad (1987)
"A young group of monster fanatics attempts to save their hometown from Count Dracula and his monsters” (IMDb.com). The Monster Squad is an 80s kids’ classic, but like many things made for kids in the 80s, its script *maybe* doesn’t hold up as well as we might expect or want.

The Modern Film: Attack the Block (2011)
“…[An] unlucky young woman and a gang of tough inner-city kids... make an unlikely alliance to try to defend their turf against an invasion of savage alien creatures, turning a South London apartment complex into an intergalactic war-zone” (IMDb.com). This movie is full of imperfect protagonists that are treated with care and love by the filmmakers. Plus. It’s pretty badass.

Audio Sources:
“Attack the Block” produced by Big Talk Productions, et al.
"Homer the Great" (The Simpsons S06E12) produced by Gracie Films & 20th Century Fox Television
“The Monster Squad” produced by TAFT Entertainment Pictures, et al.
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones
"Science Fiction/Double Feature" written by Richard O'Brien & Richard Hartley and performed by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
"Sound of da Police” written by Lawrence Parker, et al., and performed by KRS-One

147 - Double Feature - The Haunting (1963 & 1999) →

CW: Suicide, Homophobia

Best of 2020 - #7 (Tied) The Haunting (1963)

Read our afterthoughts for this episode here!  

It’s a Double Feature week on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey sleep on their left sides in two twin beds pushed together.

The Original: The Haunting (1963)
"Hill House has stood for about 90 years and appears haunted: its inhabitants have always met strange, tragic ends. Now Dr. John Markway has assembled a team of people who he thinks will prove whether or not the house is haunted” (IMDb.com). Based on the Shirley Jackson novel, “The Haunting of Hill House,” “The Haunting” is a surprisingly under-discussed character study that’s way better than its lack of popular notoriety might suggest.

The Remake: The Haunting (1999)
"When Eleanor, Theo, and Luke decide to take part in a sleep study at a huge mansion[,] they get more than they bargained for when Dr. Marrow tells them of the house's ghostly past” (IMDb.com). I mean. The higher they rise, the farther they fall, am I right?

Audio Sources:
"Cherish" written by Terry Kirkman and performed by The Association
"The Haunting" (1963) produced by Argyle Enterprises
"The Haunting" (1999) produced by DreamWorks & Roth-Arnold Productions
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones
"Science Fiction/Double Feature" written by Richard O'Brien & Richard Hartley and performed by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
"Split" produced by Universal Pictures, et al.
"Tune Up #1" (from Rent -- Original Broadway Cast Recording) written by Jonathan Larson and performed by Anthony Rapp & Adam Pascal

146 - Aliens (1986) & Alien: Covenant (2017) →

Best of 2020 - #1 Aliens

Read our afterthoughts for this episode here!

It’s another Alien week on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey creep deeper into the Alien Franchise with what some refer to as the best installment. Chris is not one of those people.

The Classic Film: Aliens (1986)
“Ellen Ripley is rescued by a deep salvage team after being in hypersleep for 57 years. The moon that the Nostromo visited has been colonized, but contact is lost. This time, colonial marines have impressive firepower, but will that be enough?” (IMDb.com). I mean, come on, it’s Aliens. You know what’s up.

The Modern Film: Alien: Covenant (2017)
“The crew of a colony ship, bound for a remote planet, discover an uncharted paradise with a threat beyond their imagination and must attempt a harrowing escape” (Twentieth Century Fox). With Prometheus and its place in the Alien timeline winding up a little too bizarre and esoteric for the average Alien fan, it seems Ridley Scott and Fox felt compelled to compromise and bring its sequel closer to general expectations. In doing so, they’ve managed to make a relatively good movie that’s the worst of both worlds.

Audio Sources:
"Alien: Covenant" produced by Scott Free Productions, et al.
"Aliens" produced by Twentieth Century Fox, et al.
"Blade Runner" produced by The Ladd Company, et al.
"Clerks" produced by View Askew Productions & Miramax
"It's Raining Men" written by Paul Jabara & Paul Shaffer and performed by The Weather Girls
"Mad About You" written by Paula Jean Brown, James Whelan, & Mitchel Young Evans and performed by Belinda Carlisle
"Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie" produced by Best Brains & Universal Pictures
"The Naked Now" (Star Trek: The Next Generation S01E03) produced by Paramount Television
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones
"Take Me Home, Country Roads" written by Bill Danoff, Taffy Nivert, & John Denver and performed by John Denver
"The Terminator" produced by Cinema '84, et al.
"Thank You for Smoking" produced by Room 9 Entertainment
"Tombstone" produced by Hollywood Pictures, et al.

145 - Bad Ronald (1974) & The Evil Within (2017) →

CW: Ableism, Suicide

Read our afterthoughts for this episode here!

It’s Listener Recommendation Week on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey watch two very weird movies that are very weird for two very different reasons.

The Classic Film: Bad Ronald (1974)
"A perverted teenage boy who lives in the walls of a house finds the house sold to a family after his mother dies, and he falls for one of the new residents” (IMDb.com). Bad Ronald was a made-for-TV movie and it shows. If there’s one thing to learn from this movie, it’s to STOP MOVING DEAD BODIES!

The Modern Film: The Evil Within (2017)
"The sadistic tale of a lonely, mentally handicapped boy who befriends his reflection in an antique mirror. This demonic creature orders him to go on a murderous rampage to kill the people he loves most” (IMDb.com). The Evil Within was a 15-year passion project by a millionaire meth user who died before it was finished and it shows. But not in a bad way?

Audio Sources:
“Bad Ronald” produced by Lorimar Productions
"Carrie" produced by Red Bank Films
“The Evil Within” produced by Supernova LLC & The Writers Studio
"Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back" produced by View Askew Productions, et al.
"Oh Mom..." written by Adam Sandler and performed by Adam Sandler, et al.
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones

144 - What Lies Beneath (2000) & Insidious (2010) →

Read our afterthoughts for this episode here!

It’s Haunted People Week on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey really evaluate the health of their marriage compared to these two shining examples of matrimony.

The Classic Film: What Lies Beneath (2000)
"The wife of a university research scientist believes that her lakeside Vermont home is haunted by a ghost - or that she is losing her mind” (IMDb.com). A simple, but surprisingly underrated ghost story, What Lies Beneath could have used a little more time and effort, but is still pretty entertaining. The only question is: is the ghost real?

The Modern Film: Insidious (2010)
"A family looks to prevent evil spirits from trapping their comatose child in a realm called The Further” (IMDb.com). Insidious sparked a change in the horror landscape, one that brought both perfection of craft and boring imitation for the next ten years.

Audio Sources:
“The Fugitive” produced by Warner Bros. & Kopelson Entertainment
"Hot Pockets" (from "Beyond the Pale") written and performed by Jim Gaffigan
“Insidious” produced by FilmDistrict, et al.
"The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” produced by New Line Cinema, et al.
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones
“Street Fighter” (1994) produced by Capcom Entertainment & Edward R. Pressman Productions
“What Lies Beneath” produced by DreamWorks, et al.

143 - From Dusk Till Dawn (1996) & Grindhouse (2007) →

CW: Rape, Ableism, Homophobia, Racism

Read our afterthoughts for this episode HERE!

It’s Rodriguez/Tarantino Week on Pod Sematary! Chris and Kelsey watch THREE movies worth of content this week to get the “authentic” experience. Okay, Listeners. let’s get listening!

The Classic Film: From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)
“Two criminals and their hostages unknowingly seek temporary refuge in a truck stop populated by vampires, with chaotic results” (IMDb.com). Silly, fun, and very much over-the-top, From Dusk Till Dawn manages to make you not care about the many cracks in its surface.

The Modern Film: Grindhouse (2007)
“Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez's homage to exploitation double features in the 60s and 70s [presents] two back-to-back cult films that include previews of coming attractions between them” (IMDb.com). Yes, we watched the whole dang thing.

Audio Sources:
"Four Rooms" produced by Miramax & A Band Apart
“From Dusk Till Dawn” produced by Dimension Films, et al.
“Grindhouse” produced by Dimension Films, et al.
"The NeverEnding Story" produced by Constantin Film, et al.
"Old School Rules" written by Danger Mouse, MF DOOM & Talib Kweli and performed by Danger Doom (Danger Mouse & MF DOOM) featuring Talib Kweli
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones
"Pulp Fiction" produced by A Band Apart, et al.
“Reservoir Dogs” produced by Live Entertainment & Dog Eat Dog Productions Inc.
"The Yada Yada" (Seinfeld S08E19) produced by Shapiro/West Productions & Castle Rock Entertainment

142 - Silver Bullet (1985) & Wer (2013) →

CW: Suicide, Ableism

Worst of 2020 - #8 Wer

Read our afterthoughts for this episode here!

It’s Werewolf 4th of July on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey are charming, family werewolf hunters but then they decide to become an action movie because reasons.

The Classic Film: Silver Bullet (1985)
“A werewolf terrorizes a small city where lives the paralytic Marty Coslaw, his uncle, and his sister, the story's narrator” (IMDb.com). An adaptation of Stephen King’s "novelette,” “Cycle of the Werewolf,” Silver Bullet is a surprisingly tense, small-town horror flick with endearing characters and a charming world.

The Modern Film: Wer (2013)
"A defense attorney begins to suspect that there might be more to her client, who is charged with the murders of a vacationing family, than meets the eye” (IMDb.com). One of the best examples of a movie dropping the ball, Wer starts with an incredible premise and tone before deciding it would rather be a terrible, nonsensical, action movie.

Audio Sources:
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones
"Split" produced by Universal Pictures et al.
“Silver Bullet” produced by Dino De Laurentiis Company, et al.
"The Secret of NIMH" produced by Don Bluth Productions
"Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" produced by Warner Bros. et al.
"An American Werewolf in London" produced by Polygram Pictures, et al.
“Wer” produced by FilmDistrict, et al.

141 - I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998) & Revenge (2017) →

CW: Rape

Read our afterthoughts for this episode here!

It’s summertime on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey go on a tropical vacation just in time for hurricane season… oh, and there’s a killer fisherman there, too.

The Classic Film: I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998)
"The murderous fisherman with a hook is back to once again stalk the two surviving teens… who had left him for dead, as well as cause even more murder and mayhem, this time at a posh island resort” (IMDb.com). Don’t even bother with this garbage-town, blatant cash-grab of a sequel.

The Modern Film: Revenge (2017)
"Jen is enjoying a romantic getaway with her wealthy boyfriend, which is suddenly disrupted when his sleazy friends arrive for an unannounced hunting trip... culminating in a shocking act that leaves Jen left for dead... Jen survives and reemerges with a relentless, wrathful intent: revenge” (Shudder). Revenge is a very well-made film, with brilliant visuals and an inspiring theme, but is any of that worth actually sitting through it?

Audio Sources:
"Agent for H.A.R.M." (Mystery Science Theater 3000 S09E15) produced by Best Brains
"Halloween" (1978) produced by Compass International Pictures
"How Do I Deal” written by Dillon O'Brian, Phil Roy & Bob Thiele Jr. and performed by Jennifer Love Hewitt
“I Still Know What You Did Last Summer” produced by Columbia Pictures, et al.
"Jurassic Park" produced by Amblin Entertainment and Universal Pictures
"Lose Yourself” written by Marshall Mathers and performed by Eminem
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones
“Revenge” produced by M.E.S. Productions, et al.

140 - Creepshow (1982) & Frailty (2001) →

CW: Suicide

Read our afterthoughts for this episode here!

It’s Father’s Day on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey find out where their cake is and realize that Tedanson ain't no fool.

The Classic Film: Creepshow (1982)
"An anthology which tells five terrifying tales based on the E.C. horror comic books of the 1950s” (IMDb.com). If you ever read those EC horror comics, there’s a lot to appreciate and enjoy about this anthology from horror masters Stephen King and George A. Romero, but a lot less if you don’t like cockroaches. 

The Modern Film: Frailty (2001)
"A mysterious man arrives at the offices of an FBI agent and recounts his childhood: how his religious fanatic father received visions telling him to destroy people who were in fact ‘demons'” (IMDb.com). Bill Paxton’s directorial debut, Frailty is a sadly overlooked gem of the 2000-era, psycho-spiritual thriller heap.

Audio Sources:
“Christine” produced by Columbia Pictures, et al.
“Creepshow” produced by Creepshow Films Inc., et al.
“Frailty” produced by David Kirschner Productions, et al.
"National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation” produced by Warner Bros., et al.
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones

139 - Child's Play 2 (1990) & Annabelle (2014) →

CW: Suicide, Infanticide

Read our afterthoughts for this episode here!

It’s another doll week on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey crawl around active assembly line machinery searching for an exit.

The Classic Film: Child’s Play (1990)
"While Andy's mother is admitted to a psychiatric hospital, the young boy is placed in foster care, and Chucky, determined to claim Andy's soul, is not far behind” (IMDb.com). Kelsey's exposure therapy isn’t working yet, but the Child’s Play franchise is only dipping its toe into the silliness water in this one.

The Modern Film: Annabelle (2014)
"A couple begins to experience terrifying supernatural occurrences involving a vintage doll shortly after their home is invaded by satanic cultists” (IMDb.com). Take out “involving a vintage doll” from that synopsis and you might have an interesting movie. Audiences weren’t so lucky.

Audio Sources:
“Annabelle” produced by New Line Cinema, et al.
"Child's Play 2” produced by Universal Pictures
"Donnie Darko” produced by Pandora Cinema, et al.
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones