Swords and Satire

To start off our holiday movie coverage we thought we would talk about a classic holiday movie about the horror of the suburbs. Turns out there were a lot of details we forgot about or overlooked before that jumped out at us this time and made us realize this movie is all about class struggle. There are both overt and subtle ways that this film shows the social struggles between cultures in small town America, all while a boy and his demon pal are just trying to get by. But there’s snow on the ground and explosions in the air to help us set the holiday mood off right.

(music obtained from freemusicarchive.com)

We were so excited to share our thoughts about this film with you all, since we covered the first movie, Enchanted, on our show and we wrote a sequel for one of our Rewriting History movie pitch episodes (which you can find on our Patreon page). This seemingly heartfelt, whimsical family film has a lot about it that we found offensive or reprehensible, much of which would fly under the radar for many viewers. So we thought we would take this opportunity to share why this movie shouldn’t really make you laugh or cry, but should actually make you mad and want to scream at the screen. Enjoy!

We have a rare gem for you, our faithful listeners, in our discussion this week of the whimsical fantasy film about death, torture, and constant threat of bodily harm, The Secret of Nimh! And you may be surprised that a film from 1982 features a female protagonist, who is a single mother of four, and who shows her mettle not through violence, but through strength of will and courage of heart. But it probably passed because most of the characters are talking animals. Well, that’s why we love fantasy, and horror, because these are genres that allow creators to explore characters and themes outside of the norm, and get us to think a little harder about the way we construct our shared reality. Happy listening!

(intro skit sounds and music from Zapsplat.com)

This week we cover a whimsical tale of a young girl, named Arrietty, going on her first “borrowing” mission with her father, and the sickly boy, named Shawn, who just will not leave her alone. Both Shawn and Arrietty struggle to find out how they belong in a will they won’t they scenario that may leave you feeling queasy, since she’s a tiny 6 inch tall teenage Borrower (basically like a mythological brownie) and he’s a twelve year old human boy who is about to undergo heart surgery. Why does he see a creature akin to a fairy without wings as a potential love interest you might ask? Well, you’ll just have to tune in to find out, dear listener! (And to hear what this movie has done to our brains.)

(intro skit sounds and music from Zapsplat.com)

Your life so far has been mostly uneventful and you're wondering if you will die with any sense of real accomplishment when you think back on what you have done with your life. Your husband wants to leave you and your daughter wants nothing to do with you, and all you do is laundry and taxes. But then, a more confident and charismatic version of your husband from another universe tells you that you are the chosen one, and you are the only one who can stand against the ultimate evil intent on destroying the fabric of the multiverse. You figure out how to fight it, but everything starts to crumble when you realize another version of you created this monster. You know you’re in trouble when nothing has meaning for you anymore and all Joy is gone from your life, sucked into an Everything Bagel. Except, then you decide to just say “fuck it” and live in an okay universe and call it a win when you and your daughter can finally talk to each other without yelling for once. And then you record a podcast episode about your adventure…

(intro skit sounds and music from Zapsplat.com)

To kick off the holiday season we have a movie about friendship and finding yourself that we have talked about and recorded for your listening pleasure, and to get you through all those cold days (...and even colder nights - ba-da-ba-dum!). And what better way to record a movie about friendship than with our good friend and patron Alisha!

This movie had us all thinking who are the true monsters here? And we do our darndest to answer. We also delve into an interesting discussion about gender identity and expression, defunct toy corporations and toys that were revoked due to poor design choices, and What does all of this have to do with the movie Luca you ask? Well, listen in to find out!

(intro skit sounds from Zapsplat.com)

So for our final dark fantasy film this Halloween season we thought we would take a break from all the scares and watch a nice, calming movie about a group of friends that decide to go on a safe, rejuvenating hiking trip in Sweden. Except it doesn’t quite work out like that for them does it? First of all, they are sans Robert because Luke just doesn’t know when to quit partying, and then Dom goes and lets his knee explode while they’re setting off on the trail from Robert’s memorial site. Then Phil starts worshiping a cryptid, and Hutch lets his guard down for one minute and gets himself turned into a tree decoration. Seems like this group just doesn’t know how to just vibe and have a good time. But maybe it just couldn’t be helped because they didn’t know to look out for the big chungus in the woods. Have you ever found yourself wondering what it would be like to get turned into beef jerky? Or if you are curious at all about what is tormenting each of the friends, then saddle up and listen in to get our take on this night out with da bois that goes horribly wrong (or incredibly right).

(intro skit sounds from Zapsplat.com)

This dark fantasy was an instant classic for us, and we wanted to share our take with all of you, our listeners. Are there really witches out in the woods, or is the family losing their grip on reality due to some moldy corn? Was the plantation community a bunch of prejudiced assholes, or is the father, William, a cringe extremist? We ponder these questions and more here, on this episode, for your listening pleasure. Would you like to sign your name in the book, dear listener? Don’t you want to live deliciously?

(intro skit sounds from Zapsplat.com)

Before you embark upon the task of solving the lament configuration you must search your soul and ask yourself, are you truly committed to the exploration of sensation in all its forms, or do you merely seek pleasure? Because when the Cenobites come a-calling you don’t want to be left with your pants down, so to speak. But you gotta give it to them, the Cenobites love their job, because for them it’s really a calling, you know? It seems like a pretty sweet gig too, because they ensure that they never lose. But Cassidy asks the really big question in this episode: Why doesn’t anyone want to join the Cenobites, and just like, vibe with them?

(intro skit sounds from Zapsplat.com)

This week for Scares and Satire we cover an epic dark fantasy animated movie about otherworldly power, class struggle, and interesting fantasy cultures, like swamp cults, bird clans, incel librarians, and ghoulishly underfed peasants ruled by whining despots. Which type of power comes out looking bast in this film: the patriarchal figures that hoard wealth and power for their own gains, or the matriarchal ones that have the people’s best interests at heart and share their knowledge for everyone’s benefit? Listen in and decide for yourself!

(intro skit sounds from Zapsplat.com)