We're still on the gateway horror track with a look at three R.L. Stine texts and Rob Letterman's 2015 film adaptation, starring Jack Black (again!)

Guiding the discussion with encyclopedic knowledge is Goosebumps super fan Paul Farrell, who advised Brenna and Joe to read The Ghost Next Door, The Blob That Ate Everyone, and Night of the Living Dummy 2 to prepare.

Plus: terrible families, brightly coloured cover art, the new Disney+ show, and Stine's approach to hooking young readers.

Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod:

> Brenna: @brennacgray (BlueSky/Instagram)

> Joe: @bstolemyremote (Twitter/Instagram) or @joelipsett (BlueSky)

> Paul: @PaulIsGreat2000

Have a mail bag question? Email us at [email protected]  

Theme music: Ben Fox "Think About the Lights"

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Spooky Season continues as Brenna and Joe tackle Alvin Schwartz's collection of folklore urban legends, as well as André Øvredal's 2019 adaptation.

We heap praise on the illustrations by Stephen Gammell and acknowledge Schwartz's campfire tales as gateway horror.

The film doesn't work as well: the Vietnam backstory is undercooked, villain Tommy is dispatched too early and the monsters aren't persuasive to Brenna.

Plus: Joe's fave sequence, the ableism/abuse in the Bellows storyline, and that bizarre sequel tease.

Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod:

> Brenna: @brennacgray (BlueSky/Instagram)

> Joe: @bstolemyremote (Twitter/Instagram) or @joelipsett (BlueSky)

Have a mail bag question? Email us at [email protected]  

Theme music: Ben Fox "Think About the Lights"

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Spooky Month continues, but we're moving away from scares into drippy monsters!

Thankfully Michael Matthews's Love and Monsters features plenty of comedy and heart, courtesy of star Dylan O'Brien's voice over and a script from Matthew Robinson and Brian Duffield (the latter wrote previous episode Spontaenous).

We're big fans of the best good boy, Dog, the way the film handles Joel's relationship with Aimee, and the Oscar-nominated realism of the CGI.

Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod:

> Brenna: @brennacgray (BlueSky) or @mittenstrings (Instagram)

> Joe: @bstolemyremote

Have a mail bag question? Email us at [email protected]  

Theme music: Ben Fox "Think About the Lights"

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Mailbag returns with an Alanna apology to Earl, a political dystopia discussion for Tea, Books & Chocolate and a thank you to Eric, who appreciates Brenna's musical taste.

Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod:

> Brenna: @brennacgray (BlueSky/Instagram)

> Joe: @bstolemyremote (Twitter/Instagram) or @joelipsett (BlueSky)

Have a mail bag question? Email us at [email protected]  

Theme music: Ben Fox "Think About the Lights"

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Spooky Season begins with a look at John Bellairs' 1973 franchise starter The House with a Clock in Its Walls, as well as Eli Roth's 2018 adaptation. Joining us for the ride is film critic Dede Crimmins, who brings a unique POV because she saw the film first.

The book is *very* 70s and features surprisingly little character development, despite oozing atmosphere (that car chase!).

The film is far more male-centric, but fleshes out its characters and set pieces while (obviously) giving stars Cate Blanchett Jack Black much more to do, including turn the latter into a baby with adult face! Creepy indeed!

Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod:

> Brenna: @brennacgray (BlueSky / Instagram)

> Joe: @bstolemyremote (Twitter/Instagram) or @joelipsett (BlueSky)

> Dede: @dedecrim

Have a mail bag question? Email us at [email protected]  

Theme music: Ben Fox "Think About the Lights"

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On Tuesdays we wear pink! After many years of missing Oct 3, Brenna and Joe *finally* cover Mark Waters 2004's film Mean Girls and its source material, Rosalind Wiseman's parenting guide, Queen Bees & Wannabes.

We've got some pretty major problems with Wiseman's 400 page tome, which relies heavily on gender binaries, barely addresses queer or racialized teens, and seems to hate girlhood?

Thankfully the film is highly enjoyable. Despite being very white and featuring very 2000s language, these performances and jokes have stood the test of time. We're still trying to make fetch happen!

Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod:

> Brenna: @brennacgray

> Joe: @bstolemyremote

Have a mail bag question? Email us at [email protected]  

Theme music: Ben Fox "Think About the Lights"

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Joey is off to College in this film from director Forest Whitaker (!) from a story by Jerry O'Connell (!!)

Alas that's what's most interesting about this frankly boring movie that fails to create a character for Katie Holmes' Sam.

The romance isn't interesting and the narrative seems stuck on repeat, plus there's some weird sexual chemistry between the President and First Daughter.

Thankfully we'll always have "My Date with the President's Daughter" and that banging theme song!

Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod:

> Brenna: @brennacgray (BlueSky) or @mittenstrings (Instagram)

> Joe: @bstolemyremote

Have a mail bag question? Email us at [email protected] 

Theme music: Ben Fox "Think About the Lights"

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Brenna and Joe kick off Book Six with Bastien Vivès' 2017 comic Une Soeur/A Sister and Charlotte LeBon's film, Falcon Lake (2022). C/W: Vivès is under investigation for child pornography.

We're fascinated by the similarities and differences in these texts, which both focus on a sexual awakening, but change the location and feature wildly different endings, which dramatically alters readings of the text as an autobiography.

Plus: sex in comics, swingers and incest, and the ethereal beauty of the Canadian wilderness.

Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod:

> Brenna: @brennacgray (BlueSky) or @mittenstrings (Instagram)

> Joe: @bstolemyremote

Have a mail bag question? Email us at [email protected]  

Theme music: Ben Fox "Think About the Lights"

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It's the end of Book Five, so we're closing the door on Veronica Roth's Divergent series with a look at her 2013 book Allegiant and director Robert Schwentke's 2016 film adaptation.

We actually find good things in the beginning and end of the book, though the draggy middle section about eugenics (!) is...not great. Then we're onto the film, which adapts roughly 75% of the book, features horrible FX and a terrible Miles Teller performance, and should be thrown into the dustbin of history.

Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod:

> Brenna: @brennacgray (BlueSky) or @mittenstrings (Instagram)

> Joe: @bstolemyremote

Have a mail bag question? Email us at [email protected]  

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We missed listener Victoria's contributions to Book Club, so we're revisiting Alanna: The First Adventure to talk about a few extra scenes.

Wanna connect with the show? Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and BlueSky @HKHSPod or use the hashtag #HKHSPod:

> Brenna: @brennacgray (BlueSky) or @mittenstrings (Instagram)

> Joe: @bstolemyremote

Have a mail bag question? Email us at [email protected]  

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