Now Screaming

Be careful what you wish for… This week, Liz and Evan’s deepest desires are realized, thanks to the ‘90s horror fanservice masterpiece WISHMASTER! Join them as they delight in the profane silliness and spectacular practical effects, unpack all the film’s Easter eggs, and pit their tiny 21st century brains against one that walked the spaces between the worlds, and trod the wings of angels beneath his concrete feet.

If you, too, wish to be released from your fear, then be sure to check out nowscreaming.com, and come visit us on Twitter @nowscreaming. Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast - but choose your words very carefully… your soul might be on the line.

This week, Liz and Evan are a couple of punks on the run as they tackle Jenn Wexler’s 2018 slasher THE RANGER. Join them as they laud the deadpan menace of the titular antagonist, propose a more psychological take on the material, and embrace the beast within to praise the film’s bloodiest sequences.

If you, too, have been entrusted by Harry S. Truman to protect the forest, then be sure to check out nowscreaming.com, and come visit us on Twitter @nowscreaming. And of course, heed the sign: rate nothing but our podcast, review nothing but our podcast, and kill nothing but time (listening to our podcast).

This week, Liz and Evan return to their roulette roots after the last couple guest episodes to tackle the Soska Sisters’ rape-revenge body horror cult favorite AMERICAN MARY. Join them as they ponder what makes a scream queen, consider the ins and outs of body modification, and laud this slightly surreal take on the “heavy metal sexy woman” subgenre.

If you, too, are now afraid your doctor might be a psychopath, then be sure to check out nowscreaming.com, and come visit us on Twitter @nowscreaming. You’d better not forget to rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast, too - don’t fuck up. Podcast listeners don’t have the luxury of being sorry.

It’s all for you, listeners: this week, Liz and Evan take a slight detour from the schedule to tackle a classic about the horrors of parenthood: Richard Donner’s 1976 THE OMEN. They’re accompanied by a couple of extremely special guests with some unique expertise on the subject: their mothers! Join them as they try to reconcile the film’s tonal conflicts, debate whether or not Jerry Goldsmith’s Oscar-winning score is any good, and explore why both their moms have such a difficult time engaging with horror as a genre.

If you, too, relish in the vulnerability of fear, then be sure to check out nowscreaming.com, and come visit us on Twitter @nowscreaming. Be sure to go to your podcast platform of choice, and seek the old man Bugenhagen. He alone will describe how to review and subscribe.

We’re back with Part 2 of our coverage of the 25th annual Fantasia Festival, and it turns out the second half of the fest held some of the year’s very best horror films. The festival itself has come to a close, but that’s why we’re here to talk about a few more gems for you to keep your eye on. Join us as we once again reflect on the state of the trauma metaphor trend in horror and dig into some of the gnarliest and most creative films we’ve seen in years. As always, no spoilers here, but if you’re interested in something specific, you can find the timestamps of each below:

DON’T SAY ITS NAME (1:05)

WHEN I CONSUME YOU (3:02)

MARTYRS LANE (6:58)

THE NIGHT HOUSE (9:46)

#BLUE_WHALE (14:20)

THE SADNESS (22:58)

BEYOND THE INFINITE TWO MINUTES (28:44)

Festival season continues apace, so we’re back again to tell you all about this year’s Japan Cuts festival, which highlights the latest and greatest in Japanese film. Allow us to regale you with our thoughts on the festival’s horror slate, which includes one of our favorite movies of 2021, period! But will we ever stop comparing things to M. Night Shyamalan? Only time will tell. Japan Cuts is both online and in-person, and runs through September 2nd, so catch these films while you can! We keep our discussions spoiler-free, but you can find the timestamps of each film below:

HIRUKO THE GOBLIN (2:00)

MARI AND MARI (7:43)

WIFE OF A SPY (10:23)

B/B (12:16)

WONDERFUL PARADISE (14:31)

THE GREAT YOKAI WAR - GUARDIANS (17:38)

The 2021 edition of Fantasia Festival is in full swing, and we’re honored to once again have the opportunity to break down the latest and greatest in horror (and horror-adjacent) cinema. There are a ton of spectacular premieres that we can’t wait to tell you all about - and we’re just getting started! Fantasia’s 25th incarnation is going on now, and runs through August 25th, so go screen some films, or at the very least check out the festival’s website to learn about some coming attractions to keep an eye on. We keep our discussions spoiler-free, but if you’re interested in something specific, you can find the timestamps of each below:

COMING HOME IN THE DARK (2:17)

HOTEL POSEIDON (5:17)

AGNES (9:00)

HELLBENDER (12:20)

BROADCAST SIGNAL INTRUSION (16:23)

THE RIGHTEOUS (20:46)

THE LAST THING MARY SAW (24:20)

ALIEN ON STAGE (28:20)

WE’RE ALL GOING TO THE WORLD’S FAIR (30:36)

This week, Liz and Evan kick off the triple-digit era with the roulette’s latest pick: the infamous 1963 Roger Corman production THE TERROR. They’re joined by their first guest in far too long: Marie-Elle Merchant (@marieelephant), who’s here to share some surprising facts about Jack Nicholson and help them unpack this film’s troubled production and moody mysteries. Join them as they ponder wife drama, relate stories of DIY problem-solving, and question how a cast this great could all seem so indifferent to one another.

If you, too, wish you were always watching Boris Karloff movies, then be sure to check out nowscreaming.com, and come visit us on Twitter @nowscreaming. Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast… that’s why we have a Third Amendment, after all.

Surprise! Once again, we subjected ourselves to a marathon to prepare for a new theatrical horror release, and once again, we’ve decided to recap the journey for your listening pleasure. Before our sojourn to the beach that makes you OLD, we binge-watched our way through M. Night Shyamalan’s filmography, and what happened along the way might shock you as much as it did us.

Listen to us rank all Shyamalan’s major movies and break down the good, the bad, and the Philadelphia amidst one of the most unique oeuvres in film history. Mild spoilers lie within, but we do our best to protect you from the most shocking twists as we unpack Night’s themes, style, and place in pop culture. You, too, can join us, as long as you’re willing to believe…

This week, Liz and Evan celebrate Now Screaming’s 100th episode by taking a look back at the long, strange journey they’ve been on. Join them as they reflect on how their horror tastes have changed, play some musical and mathematical trivia games, and call upon magic powers to see what the future might hold. In classic fashion, of course, the roulette will ultimately determine their fate.

Amidst all the revelry, it’s important for us to acknowledge that Now Screaming would be nothing without YOU, the listener. If you’ve spent some time with the podcast at any point over the past 100 episodes: thank you, thank you, thank you. We hope you’ll continue to join us and help make our little corner of the horror community the best and spookiest it can be.