154 - Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) & Ex Machina (2014) →

Best of 2020 - #2 Terminator 2: Judgment Day

It’s Sentient Robot Week on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey perform the Turing test on a liquid-metal android assassin!

Read our afterthoughts for this episode here!  

The Classic Film: Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
"A cyborg, identical to the one who failed to kill Sarah Connor, must now protect her teenage son, John Connor, from a more advanced and powerful cyborg” (IMDb.com). It's T2! You know we're going to gush.

The Modern Film: Ex Machina (2014)
“A young programmer is selected to participate in a ground-breaking experiment in synthetic intelligence by evaluating the human qualities of a highly advanced humanoid A.I.” (IMDb.com). Much more contemplative than the action-packed Terminator 2, we actually had more to say (good and bad) about Ex Machina.

Audio Sources:
"The Beginning: Making Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace" produced by Lucasfilm Ltd.
"Ex Machina" produced by A24, et al.
"Get Down Saturday Night" written by Kevin McCord & Oliver Cheatham and performed by Oliver Cheatham
"Jurassic Park" produced by Universal Pictures & Amblin Entertainment
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones
"Porkchop Sandwiches" produced by Fenslerfilm
"Princess Bride" produced by Act III Communications, et al.
"Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode II" produced by Stoopid Monkey, et al.
"Silence of the Lambs" produced by Strong Heart/Demme Production & Orion Pictures
"Terminator 2: Judgment Day" produced by Carolco Pictures, et al.
"Tiffany on the Wild Side" (Unhappily Ever After S03E15) produced by Touchstone Television

138 - Double Feature - Night of the Demons (1988 & 2009) →

CW: Suicide, Rape

Read our afterthoughts for this episode here!

It’s (not) Graduation Week on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey *would* have been watching graduation movies this week, but since there seem to be no ceremonies this year, we’ll watch teenagers have parties they shouldn't be having instead!

The Classic Film: Night of the Demons (1988)
"Ten teenagers party at an abandoned funeral parlor on Halloween night. When an evil force awakens, demonic spirits keep them from leaving and turn their gathering into a living Hell” (IMDb.com). This B-movie was surprisingly fun, despite (or because of?) a complete lack of commitment to lore or reason. 

The Modern Film: Night of the Demons (2009)
"A group of kids go to a Halloween party, only to have to face down a group of demons” (IMDb.com). Same thing; different day. This second attempt added some promising lore, but it has the absolute stank of post-2000 horror remake all over it.

Audio Sources:
"Airport Security" (from The End of the Universe) written and performed by Lewis Black
"Bela Lugosi's Dead" written by Peter Murphy, et al., and performed by Bauhaus
"Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure" produced by De Laurentiis Entertainment Group, et al.
“Code Blue” written by Jack Grisham, et al., and performed by T.S.O.L.
“Night of the Demons” (1988) produced by Blue Rider Pictures, et al.
“Night of the Demons” (2009) produced by Cold Fusion Media Group, et al.
"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.
"Science Fiction/Double Feature" written by Richard O'Brien & Richard Hartley and performed by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
"The Yada Yada" (Seinfeld S08E19) produced by Shapiro/West Productions & Castle Rock Entertainment

114 - Pet Sematary II (1992) & It Chapter Two (2019) →

CW: Rape, Suicide, Domestic Abuse, Homophobia, Distressing sequences involving animals

Read our afterthoughts for this episode at https://twitter.com/PodSematary/status/1203531590904795136

It’s Stephen King Sequels Week on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey go back to the well to revive Stephen King adaptions in the form of sequels!

The Classic Film: Pet Sematary II (1992)
"A teenage boy and his father move to his recently-deceased mother's hometown, where they encounter the ancient Native American cemetery with the power to raise the dead” (IMDb.com). This bonkers sequel is fairly lovable in its weirdness, even if the ending goes a little off the rails.

The Modern Film: It Chapter Two (2019)
"Twenty-seven years after their first encounter with the terrifying Pennywise, the Losers Club have grown up and moved away, until a devastating phone call brings them back” (IMDb.com). Having enjoyed Chapter One in episode 15 of the podcast (or “liked okay” in Kelsey’s case), we were surprised to find that Chapter Two was massively hobbled in what appears to be an attempt to end the story and include every popular ingredient from the first chapter at the same time. Simply put: it does not work.

Plus! Our spoiler-free thoughts on the Netflix adaptation of King and Hill's In the Tall Grass!

Audio Sources:
"Christine" produced by Columbia Pictures, et al.
"Clueless" produced by Paramount Pictures
"Fading Away" performed by Jan King
“It Chapter Two” produced by New Line Cinema, et al.
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones
“Pet Sematary II” produced by Paramount Pictures & Columbus Circle Films
“Poison Heart” written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones
"Reverence" written by William Reid & Jim Reid and performed by The Jesus and Mary Chain
"Theme from M*A*S*H (Suicide Is Painless)" written by Johnny Mandel (music) & Mike Altman (lyrics) and performed by The Mash
"Training / Credits" (from "Punch-Out!!" [NES]) composed and arranged by Yukio Kaneoka, Akito Nakatsuka, and Kenji Yamamoto
"Weird Satanist Guy" via BowserVids @ www.youtube.com/watch?v=YErFwJX0HKE