Media Ghouls

The Media Ghouls Months of Horror continue this Freaky Friday with Friday the 13th Part 2! Ian struggles to find much of value in this rushed sequel despite Justin's pleas as a fan of the series. Generic characters, a paper thin plot, and a Jason Voorhees who isn't fully realized yet leaves little to recommend here, but the Ghouls make it worth it by discussing the tropes of horror sequels and the iconic moments of the franchise that are in this entry!

Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece The Shining gets the Media Ghouls treatment on this week’s episode. With one of the most infamous shoots in film history, the cast and crew were put through horrific conditions to finish the film. The result is one of the most unsettling and famous movies of all time. It’s no secret that Ian and Justin love this film, but their interpretations of what exactly happens may surprise you!

The Media Ghouls Horror Marathon continues this week with Hellraiser! This was a very unique horror film when released in 1987 and retains that reputation today! From the mind of Clive Barker comes a domestic horror film about a family whose ties to one another are strained by abuse, infidelity, and lies. With one of the creepiest uncles ever portrayed in film and the introduction of the instantly iconic Cenobites, Hellraiser is worthy of a watch, but when Justin starts revealing his own dark fantasies, things start to get a little weird.

It's the beginning of a horror marathon this week on Media Ghouls as we take a look at the long unexpected film adaptation of Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark! While Justin has read and reread these stories in his middle age, Ian knows them mainly by reputation and their iconic illustrations, but nothing could prepare the Ghouls for the unexpected way these stories were framed. Get ready for Goosebumps and Ring references. Ian cites the other kids' horror icons of the 1990s. Justin laments the shame of oversharing movie trailers.

The most underrated Disney film of the 90s gets the spotlight this month on Media Ghouls. That's right folks, it's finally time for A Goofy Movie! It's easy to forget that this one is just as much a musical as the rest of the Disney Renaissance films, but Powerline should never be forgotten! Conceived as a postscript to the awesome Goof Troop animated series, this movie is both hilarious and heartwarming. Themes of fatherhood and the lack of a villain character make this one of the most unique Disney films of all time!

A quick note! The audio quality here was below our standards but we didn't want you guys to miss out on this episode. Back to our usual production quality next week!

The Ghouls pull out the critical lens this episode to explore Quentin Tarantino's ONCE UPON A TIME IN...HOLLYWOOD. Justin has been lukewarm on the second half of the director's filmography, but will this 1969 period piece change his mind? The evolution of editing in Tarantino's films is analyzed...along with his emphasis on actors' feet. Morality, inadequacy, and more are discussed in this rabbit hole of a film.

The third and final Disney "live action" remake of 2019 gets the critical eye this week as Ian and Justin review "The Lion King." But before that spectacle of mediocrity, the Ghouls take a look at Ari Aster's sophomore outing with the daytime horror film Midsommar. Is Scar still the classic Disney villain we've known for 25 years? Were the musical numbers worth keeping this time around? Does Timon dress in drag and do the Hula? Listen and find out what we thought in this week's episode!

The Disney Renaissance continues this week on Media Ghouls with The Lion King retrospective. While you eagerly await your chance to watch the remake of this all-time animated classic, listen in to hear your favorite Ghouls talk about what makes the 1994 original a phenomenal piece of art. With beautiful animation, unforgettable music, and a bevy of influences, can anyone deny The Lion King as one of Disney's greatest achievements? Ian and Justin talk about some Lion King family memories, Jinora sings, and Emelynn chastises the thought of skipping songs on the soundtrack.

Note: Sorry for the dip in audio quality. The San Jose squad's microphones were indisposed at the time of recording. Those responsible have been sacked.

Phase 3 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe comes to an end this week as Ian and Justin review Spider-Man: Far From Home! This pair of Ghouls are lifelong Spider-Fans and have been waiting for the film introduction of one of Spidey's greatest antagonists for nearly two decades. Does the film do this enigmatic character justice? Is the focus on Peter's school life starting to become a detriment? Are the guys capable of agreeing on a film for once in their podcasting lives?

It's Disney week on this episode of Media Ghouls, and it's finally time to take a trip to Agrabah! Justin, Ian, Nando, Emelynn, and Heather take a deep dive into the history of Aladdin and the controversy surrounding Robin Williams's legendary performance as the Genie. The tables have turned as Nando has trouble admitting his favorite Disney film has flaws. Emelynn explains a very serious Filipino tradition. Heather recalls the original, more "edgy" lyrics to "Arabian Nights."