Media Ghouls

The 2020 Media Ghouls Halloween Spooktacular enters the '90s this week as the guys review Wes Craven's Scream! Nearly 25 years after the film's release, does it's "fresh" take on slasher films hold up? Both Ian and Justin think so as they explore the major shake ups this meta film brought to the horror genre and the film industry as a whole. Oddly enough this film has connections to almost every other film we've reviewed for this year's Spooktacular. Could it be a coincidence or is something more Sinister at play...

In a momentous episode of the 2020 Media Ghouls Halloween Spooktacular, Ian finally confronts the film that traumatized him as a child, An American Werewolf in London. While most probably see this '80s classic as an early horror-comedy, a kindergarten-aged Ian would beg to differ. Listen in as he recounts the experience that made horror movies a no no for nearly two decades of his life. Shockingly, Justin has a higher opinion of this movie and ends up writing a better version of the same story on the fly.

In this week's episode of Media Ghouls, Ian faces his fears and reviews a film he swore to never watch, 1973's THE EXORCIST. No other film could possibly be chosen to represent '70s horror for this year's Halloween Spooktacular spotlight: HORROR THROUGH THE DECADES. Listen in as the guys take a deep dive into the production and legacy of one of the most acclaimed horror films of all time.

Spoopy season begins here on MEDIA GHOULS! 2020 has been a bizarre year in our history, but that isn't going to stop the Ghouls from celebrating their favorite time of year. This year's Spooktacular theme is HORROR THROUGH THE DECADES. We begin in the 1960s with the classic film THE HAUNTING. Listen in as Ian and Justin express some controversial opinions on this beloved ghost story from 1963

The Ghouls assemble this week to tackle the closest thing Pixar has to a horror movie with their review of Monsters Inc! Jinora's parents explain how this movie is not truly for "all audiences." Justin reveals the multiple lawsuits that arose from the film's massive success. Ian confesses his love for Steve Buscemi for the second time this year. All of this in addition to the treatment you expect from our Disney retrospectives as well as a discussion on the terrifying animatronics that hide within Disney's California Adventure!

Spider-Month concludes this week with the Media Ghouls review of Spider-Man 3. Sam Raimi lost control of the franchise with the third entry, and this film has gained an infamous reputation since its release in 2007. Ian thinks the movie's perceived crappiness is a little hyperbolic, so it's time to bring resident Spidey superfan Fernando into the debate. On one hand, Spider-Man 3 has created some of the best memes and bizarre moments of the superhero genre. On the other, it single-handedly destroyed everything the first two films built and effectively kneecapped the series' future. Join us as we dissect the corpse of Tobey's Spidey in this epic conclusion! Also, Nando gets sent a mysterious, girthy photograph.

The Spider-Month continues this week when the Ghouls break down the superhero classic, Spider-Man 2! Everybody from the original returns and brings their A game for this phenomenal sequel. However, Ian and Justin have some differing opinions on some of the choices made this time around. Before that though, the guys make sure to shame Nintendo for their controversial Super Mario 35th Anniversary announcements. Also on this episode, Ian gives his thesis on the precise moment when Adam Sandler movies stopped being good and Justin forces multiple "inside baseball" references.

The Media Ghouls kick off September with a wall-crawling marathon this week in their review of 2002's Spider-Man! Sam Raimi's first attempt at adapting Peter Parker is a love letter to the original comics of Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. With a ton of color, cheese, and a great cast, this is still a very special movie to the Ghouls. The road to making it was insanely convoluted, and Ian does his best to break down the fights for the rights to Spidey. The guys also touch on what still makes this version true to the heart and soul of Spider-Man's character and how the new films have struggled to capture it.

Mario Month concludes this week with the Media Ghouls review of the often ignored Super Mario Bros. movie. With the inspired casting of Bob Hoskins and some fantastic pre-Jurassic Park visual effects, this has to be a video game adaptation worth remembering, right? Fernando believes the answer is yes. Ian and Justin...not so much. Join us as we dive deep into the waking nightmare that was this film's production, Nintendo's hands off approach and how it changed the way they protected their IP ever since, and the tragedy of a young man named Toad.

Mario month continues with an all new nostalgia-loaded episode! This week, Ian and Justin discuss their favorite Mario products from childhood! The episode eventually turns into a commentary on nostalgia and how the merchandising of the radical 80s and 90s has changed!