168 - The Worst of 2020 →

2020 was a dumpster fire and Chris and Kelsey are saying goodbye by paying tribute to the worst movies they watched last year! Plus, our personal Bottom 10 lists and the 10 movies that divided us the most!

To listen to these episodes and check out their individual source credits, click the links below:

10: http://bit.ly/3octeM2
9: http://bit.ly/3b1Eya9
8: http://bit.ly/2KXeqCB
7: http://bit.ly/38SZKfI
4 (Tied): http://bit.ly/3rKRUgV
4 (Tied): http://bit.ly/3b6bUVq
4 (Tied): http://bit.ly/3rPMXTP
3: http://bit.ly/3b2ZpcX
2: http://bit.ly/3hG0oBb
1: http://bit.ly/3hG0oBb

Additional Audio Source:
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones

167 - End of Days (1999) & Midnighters (2017) →

CW: Rape, Suicide, Addiction

Worst of 2020 - #4 (tied) Midnighters

It’s New Year's Week on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey shoot the devil with a grenade launcher and also make some very bad decisions.

Read our afterthoughts for this episode here!

The Classic Film: End of Days (1999)
"At the end of the century, Satan visits New York in search of a bride. It's up to an ex-cop who now runs an elite security outfit to stop him” (IMDb.com). Arnold Schwarzenegger stars (for some reason) in one of many turn-of-the-millennium religious thrillers, and you know what that means... shooting Satan with a ton of bullets!

The Modern Film: Midnighters (2017)
"Midnight, New Year's Eve: when all the hopes of new beginnings come to life - except for Lindsey and Jeff Pittman, whose strained marriage faces the ultimate test after they cover up a terrible crime and find themselves entangled in a Hitchcockian web of deceit and madness” (IMDb.com). Wow, that plot summary is doing a lot of heavy lifting. Midnighters is dim, contrived, and not very inspired. It's beyond us why this film is as highly rated as it is.

Audio Sources:
"Adventures in Babysitting" produced by Touchstone Pictures & Silver Screen Partners III
"Chicago" (2002) produced by Miramax, et al.
"End of Days" produced by Beacon Pictures & Lucifilms
"Midnighters" produced by Graystone Pictures
"Moral of the Story" written by Ashlyn Rae Willson, Casey Smith, & Noah Conrad and performed by Ashe
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones
"Usual Suspects" produced by PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, et al.

166 - Silent Night, Deadly Night 2 (1987) & Black Christmas (2019) →

CW: Sexual Assault, Rape, Suicide, Abortion, Gaslighting

It’s our second week of Christmas horror on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey smash the dark-magic patriarchy but spend most of their time talking about last Christmas.

Read our afterthoughts for this episode here!

The Classic Film: Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2 (1987)
"The now-adult Ricky talks to a psychiatrist about how he became a murderer after his brother, Billy, died, which leads back to Mother Superior” (IMDb.com). The purposeful camp in this Christmas horror flick works sometimes, but they should have waited until they actually had a whole movie to film.

The Modern Film: Black Christmas (2019)
"Hawthorne College is quieting down for the holidays. One by one, sorority girls on campus are being killed by an unknown stalker. But the killer is about to discover that this generation's young women aren't willing to become hapless victims as they mount a fight to the finish” (IMDb.com). The road to bad cinema is paved with good intentions and probably the best thing we can say about this second Black Christmas remake is that it had good intentions.

Audio Sources:
"Black Christmas" (2019) produced by Blumhouse Productions, et al.
"Carrie" (1976) produced by Red Bank Films
"Inglorious Basterds" (2009) produced by A Band Apart, 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
"Silent Night, Deadly Night" produced by TriStar Pictures & Slayride
"Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2" produced by Silent Night Releasing Corporation

165 - Tales From The Crypt (1972) & All the Creatures Were Stirring (2018) →

CW: Suicide, Child Molestation, Bullying

It’s Christmas Anthology Week on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey spend their Christmas in a series of spooky vignettes.

Read our afterthoughts for this episode here!

The Classic Film: Tales from the Crypt (1972)
"Five strangers get lost in a crypt and, after meeting the mysterious Crypt Keeper, receive visions of how they will die” (IMDb.com). A charming collection of EC Comics-style stories (including one about an escaped, psychopathic Santa), Tales from the Crypt is pretty much exactly what you'd expect.

The Modern Film: All the Creatures Were Stirring (2018)
"When an awkward date on Christmas Eve leads a couple into a strange theater, they're treated to a bizarre and frightening collection of Christmas stories, featuring a wide ensemble of characters doing their best to avoid the horrors of the holidays” (IMDb.com). Sometimes we watch a movie that's worse for how much promise it shows in an otherwise bad package. This is one of those times.

Audio Sources:
"All the Creatures Were Stirring (2018)" produced by FallBack Plan Productions
"A Game of Thrones: A Song of Ice and Fire: Book One" written by George R. R. Martin and read by Roy Dotrice
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones
"Santa Teach Me to Dance" written by Doug Lapham and performed by Debbie & The Darnels
"Tales from the Crypt (1972)" produced by Amicus Productions
"Who Shot Mr. Burns? Part One" (The Simpsons S06E25) produced by Gracie Films & 20th Century Fox Television

164 - Double Feature - The Crazies (1973 & 2010) →

CW: Incest, Rape, Mental Illness

Read our afterthoughts for this episode here!

It’s a Double Feature on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey will end up either dead or insane! Thanks for the recommendation, Alex!

The Classic Film: The Crazies (1973)
"A biological weapon gone awry is only the start of problems in the little town of Evan's City, Pennsylvania. Bouts of insanity in the populace are leading to murder and rioting until the US Army turns up - and things really start going to hell” (IMDb.com). Feeling like a quintessential low-budget Romero flick, The Crazies is a raw and affecting story of survival.

The Modern Film: The Crazies (2010)
"As a toxin begins to turn the residents of Ogden Marsh, Iowa, into violent psychopaths, sheriff David Dutton tries to make sense of the situation while he, his wife, and two other unaffected townspeople band together in a fight for survival” (IMDb.com). It may be rare, but sometimes a horror remake is actually good. This is the case with The Crazies' 2010 remake, which does something completely different from the original and does it pretty well.

Audio Sources:
"The Crazies" (1973) produced by Pittsburgh Films
"The Crazies" (2010) produced by Overture Films, et al.
"Dawn of the Dead" (1978) produced by Laurel Group & Dawn Associates
"Ghostbusters" (1984) produced by Columbia Pictures, et al.
"The Haunting" (1999) produced by Dreamworks Pictures & Roth-Arnold Productions
"Jurassic Park" produced by Universal Pictures & Amblin Entertainment
"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
"Pulp Fiction" produced by A Band Apart, et al.
"Science Fiction/Double Feature" written by Richard O'Brien & Richard Hartley and performed by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
"Spider-Man" produced by Columbia Pictures, et al.
"Shut Up and Drive" written by Evan Rogers, et al. and performed by Rihanna

163 - Dial M for Murder (1954) & You’re Next (2011) →

Best of 2020 - #7 (Tied) Dial M for Murder

It’s Murder Plots Gone Wrong Week on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey lay the best schemes. What could possibly gang agley?

Read our afterthoughts for this episode here!

The Classic Film: Dial M for Murder (1954)
"A former tennis player tries to arrange his wife's murder after learning of her affair” (IMDb.com). Ok, we'll admit: this isn't really a horror movie. But it's so good! And the tension is palpable.

The Modern Film: You’re Next (2011)
"When a gang of masked, ax-wielding murderers descend upon the Davison family reunion, the hapless victims seem trapped... until an unlikely guest of the family proves to be the most talented killer of all” (Lionsgate). The movie that supposedly brought back the home invasion movie and strong horror heroines, You're Next is good, but is it as good as everyone says?

Audio Sources:
"Dial M for Murder (1954)" produced by Warner Bros.
"Looking for Magic" written by Dwight A. Twilley and performed by Dwight Twilley Band
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones
"Split" produced by Universal Pictures, et al.
"TCM Now Showing" hosted by Ben Mankiewicz
"You’re Next (2011)" produced by Snoot Entertainment & HanWay Films

162 - Children of the Corn II (1992) & Doctor Sleep (2019) →

CW: Suicide, Infant/Child Pain and Death, Domestic Abuse, Overdose, Addiction

Read our afterthoughts for this episode here!

It’s Stephen King Sequels Week on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey shine on in a field of nothing but stupid, old corn.

The Classic Film: Children of the Corn II: The Final Sacrifice (1992)
"A journalist and his son travel to Nebraska to investigate the mysterious town of Gatlin where, unbeknownst to them, a murderous cult of children are still waiting in the cornfields” (IMDb.com). This is not a good sequel, but we were surprised by just how much fun we had watching it.

The Modern Film: Doctor Sleep (2019)
"Years following the events of The Shining, a now-adult Dan Torrance must protect a young girl with similar powers from a cult known as The True Knot, who prey on children with powers to remain immortal” (IMDb.com). Doctor Sleep has the unenviable job of walking the tightrope between following on from Kubrick's version of The Shining and staying faithful to the King books, but it manages to pull it off with aplomb.

Audio Sources:
"Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure" produced by De Laurentiis Entertainment Group, et al.
"Children of the Corn II: Final Sacrifice" produced by Fifth Avenue Entertainment, et al.
"Doctor Sleep" produced by Warner Bros., et al.
"Friday the 13th" (1980) produced by Sean S. Cunningham Films, et al.
"Homer vs. the 18th Amendment" (The Simpsons S08E18) produced by Gracie Films & 20th Century Fox Television
"Instant Karma! (We All Shine On)" written and performed by John Lennon
"Midnight, the Stars and You" written by Harry M. Woods, Jimmy Campbell, & Reg Connelly and performed by Ray Noble and his Orchestra & Al Bowlly
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones
"Pokémon Theme" written by John Siegler & John Loeffler and performed by Jason Paige

161 - Friday the 13th Part III (1982) & Lake Bodom (2016) →

CW: Rape, Child Molestation, Gaslighting

It’s Friday the 13th on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey murder some campers in 3D!

Read our afterthoughts for this episode here!

The Classic Film: Friday the 13th Part III (1982)
"Having revived from his wounds, Jason Voorhees takes refuge at a cabin near Crystal Lake. As a group of co-eds arrives for their vacation, Jason continues his killing spree” (IMDb.com). Jason gets his trademark hockey mask in this installment of the famous franchise that brought the 3D craze back to horror movies in the 80s. It's more of the same, really, but you'll be thankful for that one day.

The Modern Film: Lake Bodom (2016)
"Every camper's worst nightmare came true at Lake Bodom in 1960 when four teenagers were stabbed to death while sleeping in their tent” (IMDb.com). This Finnish film based on the real Lake Bodom murders doesn't really do much new, either, but it stacks twists on twists and ain't half-bad looking.

Audio Sources:
"Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure" produced by De Laurentiis Entertainment Group, et al.
"Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13th" produced by 1428 Films, et al.
"Finland" written and performed by Michael Palin and arranged by John Du Prez
"Friday the 13th Part III" produced by Paramount Pictures, et al.
"Halloween" (1978) produced by Compass International Pictures, et al.
"Lake Bodom" produced by Don Films & Münchhausen Productions
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones
"S&M Present" (Robot Chicken S01E09) produced by Stoopid Monkey, et al.
"Zoolander" produced by Paramount Pictures, et al.

160 - The Night Stalker (1972) & Afflicted (2013) →

CW: Suicide, Harm to Animals

Read our afterthoughts for this episode here!

It’s Vampire Week on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey track down creatures of the night and make a charming travelogue about it!

The Classic Film: The Night Stalker (1972)
"An abrasive Las Vegas newspaper reporter investigates a series of murders committed by a vampire” (IMDb.com). The predecessor to Kolchak: The Night Stalker, the TV series that heavily inspired The X-Files, this popular made-for-TV movie from the 70s is a damn sight better than you might expect.

The Modern Film: Afflicted (2013)
"Two best friends see their trip of a lifetime take a dark turn when one of them is struck by a mysterious affliction. Now, in a foreign land, they race to uncover the source before it consumes him completely” (IMDb.com). An indie film made on a shoestring budget, Afflicted promises very little but delivers on all of it.

Audio Sources:
"Afflicted" produced by Automatik Entertainment, et al.
"Insidious" produced by Stage 6 Films, et al.
"The Night Stalker" produced by ABC Circle Films & Dan Curtis Productions
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones

159 - Halloween 4 (1988) & Halloween (2018) →

CW: Mental Illness

Read our afterthoughts for this episode here!

It’s Halloween on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey come alive and go on the hunt for evil!

The Classic Film: Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)
"Ten years after his original massacre, the invalid Michael Myers awakens on Halloween Eve and returns to Haddonfield to kill his seven-year-old niece. Can Dr. Loomis stop him?” (IMDb.com). Since audiences rejected the idea of a different Halloween-themed story in each installment of the franchise, Halloween 4 brings back Michael Myers to hunt his bloodline... again! We haven't gotten to the druids yet and Danielle Harris is a gem, so this one just barely manages to eke by as acceptable.

The Modern Film: Halloween (2018)
"Laurie Strode confronts her long-time foe Michael Myers, the masked figure who has haunted her since she narrowly escaped his killing spree on Halloween night four decades ago” (IMDb.com). Rejecting all franchise lore except for the original, Halloween (2018) kickstarts the FIFTH Halloween timeline with a modern bang. Although it's not saying much, this entry easily takes the honor of best Halloween sequel.

Audio Sources:
"Carrie" (1976) produced by Red Bank Films
"Doctor Sleep" (Audiobook) written by Stephen King and read by Will Patton
"Halloween" (1978) produced by Compass International Pictures, et al.
"Halloween" (2018) produced by Night Blade Holdings, et al.
"Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers" produced by Trancas International Films
"The Italian Job" (2003) produced by Paramount Pictures, et al.
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones
"The Wizard of Oz" (1939) produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer