Now Screaming

We binge-watched all the Saw movies, and it turns out the biggest twist of all… is that we kinda like this franchise now!? We succumbed to Jigsaw’s game just in time for the theatrical release of the latest installment, SPIRAL, and we’re here to break it all down for you.

Listen to us lament the failures of the franchise at its nastiest and most boring while relishing in the delights of being tricked and manipulated by our favorites. We debate the gratuitous sexuality of 2000s horror and the credit that copycat killers deserve while trying to make sense of the incomprehensible number of characters and plot twists across these movies. Welcome to Hoffmanville, folks.

We spoil the entire Saw franchise here, but we hold a bit back in our discussion of SPIRAL, since not everyone can make it out to theaters right now. Still, if you want to save our discussion of that movie for later, we won’t hold it against you - we talk about it from 48:41-59:48.

Do you want to play a game? Just in time for the franchise’s latest installment, the roulette has subjected Liz and Evan to a surprising punishment: the original Saw! Join them as they travel back to the early aughts and try to make sense of the most iconic piece of “torture porn” of them all! Along the way, they question the decision-making of James Wan and Leigh Whannell, get dizzy from the relentless flashbacks and montages, and try to determine which actor gives the worst performance in the film. (The answer may surprise you!)

If you also have a soft spot for Hot Topic bullshit, 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... and if you can do so safely, go support movie theaters and see SPIRAL this weekend! Just don’t lie to your friends about the twist - lest they walk around for years never knowing the truth...

This week, Liz and Evan go to hell and back again with 2014’s As Above, So Below, courtesy of longtime listener Clare (@doopliss27)! Join them as they dive deep into the film’s complex lore, traversing every other media franchise from National Treasure to Aladdin along the way. They also lament the most irritating found-footage pitfalls, ponder the roles of alchemy and emotion in horror films, and travel through as many circles of hell as it takes to get Evan on board with Dante’s Inferno. Stick around afterwards to hear some (very timely) thoughts and reactions to this year’s Oscars ceremony to wrap up the movie year.

If you, too, have had a panic attack in the Paris catacombs, then be sure to check out nowscreaming.com, and come visit us on Twitter @nowscreaming. Thanks again to Clare for the recommendation, and as always, don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe. That’s what’s VITRIOL is really about, after all: only by subscribing to the podcast can you rectify yourself and find the hidden stone.

This week, Liz and Evan tackle a J-Horror masterpiece in Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s 1997 serial killer thriller Cure! Join them as they discuss the film’s unique style and hypnotic filmmaking, question the relationship between magic and science, and ponder the many meanings of the film's enigmatic title.

If you, too, get lost on your way to the convenience store, then be sure to check out nowscreaming.com, and come visit us on Twitter @nowscreaming. Don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast, as well - that’s what you wanted all along, after all. It’s what you’ve always wanted.

This week, Liz and Evan take on the threequel to one of the greatest films of all time: that’s right, it’s time for Jaws 3-D! Join them as they debate the nuances of shark tragedy, lament the extremely behind-the-times visual effects, share some stories from the film’s troubled production, and ponder whether or not the film is fun enough to overlook its flaws.

If you, too, grew up wanting to be a marine biologist, then be sure to check out nowscreaming.com, and drop by our Twitter @nowscreaming. And to paraphrase the very wise Bess Armstrong: the podcast is on iTunes. This episode is on iTunes. You need to rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast… on iTunes!

This week, Liz and Evan head back to Shudder to vibe with Mario Bava’s moody (and amazingly-titled) 1966 film Kill, Baby… Kill! Join them as they’re thrilled by the spectacular filmmaking and lurid colors, discuss the film’s influence on directors across the globe, from Argento and Burton to Scorsese and Fellini, and applaud the crew’s commitment to finishing this no-budget gothic fantasia.

If you, too, are driven crazy by Italian dubbing, then be sure to check out nowscreaming.com, and drop by our Twitter @nowscreaming. Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast, too - you don’t want to end up like Irena Hollander…

This week, it’s Christmas in February as Liz and Evan sing along with the 2018 holiday horror-comedy zombie musical Anna and the Apocalypse! Join them as they debate the songs’ successes and failures, appreciate the film’s commitment to its characters, and just generally enjoy a good hang with another solid addition in the zombie-comedy genre.

If you, too, love the intersection of musical theater and horror, then be sure to check out nowscreaming.com, and drop by our Twitter @nowscreaming. Go ahead and turn off that radio news report about the pandemic and the lethal pathogen going around… your time would be better spent if you rate, review, and subscribe to this podcast instead!

This week, Liz and Evan are back to their regularly-scheduled ridiculousness as they tackle the 2011 thriller The Resident! Join them as they ponder this movie’s role as a Hammer Horror brand revival, debate the differences between their preferred types of schlock, and lament the wasted potential of a cast that’s WAY too good for this film.

If you, too, spent the early 2010s seeing way too many bad horror movies in theaters, then be sure to check out nowscreaming.com, and drop by our Twitter @nowscreaming. Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast, too. At least do it for Christopher Lee.

It’s 2021 now, and this week, Liz and Evan start off the new year by tackling David Lynch’s perplexing debut Eraserhead! Join them as they get into a heated debate about the famed surrealist’s entire career, question what dinosaurs look like and what makes things “Lynchian,” and draw some important conclusions about magicians revealing their secrets. Everything should be looked at, after all - there could be clues in it.

If you, too, wish David Lynch’s work was even weirder, then be sure to check out nowscreaming.com, and drop by our Twitter @nowscreaming. Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast, too, or who knows... you might see some stuff you’re not ready for. These kinds of things will set you back.

This week, Liz and Evan are still celebrating the Christmas hangover with the Finnish feature Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale. Join them as they round out 2020 by discussing the defining characteristics of Santa Claus, pondering the logical frustrations of the film’s third act, and ranting about how the overwhelmingly positive reception to this film makes them feel crazy.

If you also want to see eldritch horned monster Santa Claus rendered in CGI, then be sure to check out nowscreaming.com, and drop by our Twitter @nowscreaming. Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast, too - otherwise we might suddenly start charging $85,000 per episode...