The Fear of God: A Horror Movie Podcast

Spooky season never ends around here and we have a special Friday interview for you today where we host author Christina Henry to discuss her latest book, THE PLACE WHERE THEY BURIED YOUR HEART. Christina is a bestselling author of horror and dark fantasy novels, many of which include sequels or original reinventions of classic children's tales.

The Place Where They Buried Your Heart tells the story of a "house that doesn't belong" on an otherwise ordinary street in Chicago. When Jessie Campanelli's brother went into the house and never came out, it tore Jessie's family apart in irreparable ways and forever changed the course of her life. Now, grown and with a child of her own, Jessie senses a growing darkness spreading from the house -- a darkness that seems alive... and hungry.

We sat down with Christina to discuss her richly textured novel that examines the nature of communities, the haunting power of regret, and the ways that sometimes the smallest of choices may come to define our whole future. It's available wherever books are sold and we highly recommend it. We hope you enjoy this special conversation!

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Another Spooky Season (ahhhhhh) has come and gone, friends and FoGgers. In the grand tradition we've developed these past few years, we offer you a coda on our Final Destination franchise run by looking back on some of our favorite thematic observations throughout the discussions, ranking each of the films in the franchise, selecting our most "Ain't Right" moments across all six films, and -- of course -- the moment you've all been waiting for: the official Mack Daddy Kills Hall of Fame for the FINAL DESTINATION franchise.

The next couple of months will be rather unconventional programming as we wind down the year, including more interviews, some complete conversations, and a couple other surprises. But we will be back in January with a whole new slate of FoGgy episodes, because the Fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, but not the end of the conversation.

In that spirit, we encourage you to fear nothing else and be on your way rejoicing.

5:15 - Reflections on FoG 2025

9:57 - That Ain't Right for the Final Destination franchise

24:52 - Ranking the Final Destination films

47:35 - Themes and Observations Across the Conversations

1:08:23 - The Mack Daddy Kills Hall of Fame

1:33:04 - Closing Credits and Special Thank Yous

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We hope you're having a safe and fun Halloween this year. As a special little Spooky Season bonus, we decided -- quite on a whim -- to drop in a little bonus chat for you wherein Nathan plays Reed's game known as TAKE FIVE.

Take Five is meant to be a kind of primer for a specific category of films, identifying unique and important entries to flesh out your understanding. What film made the most money? What film is the most representative? What is underrated? What film changed everything? And what film stands out as a cult classic?

As a special Halloween treat, we play the game of Take Five for the work of the one and only John Carpenter! Play along with us as we uncover his Blockbuster, Classic, Cult Hit, Hinge, and Gem. As we hope you have a wonderful and very Happy Halloween!

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We've reached the penultimate episode of this year's spooky season franchise run. Earlier this year, the Final Destination franchise returned after a decade and a half hiatus with FINAL DESTINATION: BLOODLINES. The sixth installment expands upon the universe of the franchise in ways that add both thematic and narrative weight. It features strong characterizations, clever, inventive sequencing, and -- of course -- a lot of surprising and elaborate deaths. It also features the final on screen performance of the legendary horror icon Tony Todd, who passed away before the film was released and whose final lines in the film serve as a coda for both his career and the franchise as a whole.

Unpacking all of that and more with us is a host of fun guests, including Vera Goudie, Matt Ruff, Penny Rouse, Matt Murray, Steve Beckley, and Jocee Worley. It's not only a thoughtful and occasionally heartfelt conversation about the preciousness of life, it's also a laughter-filled joy machine of a discussion party. We truly find the hope in the horrific this week and we hope you all enjoy it!

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We're kicking Halloween week off with a special interview we hosted with author Nick Medina about his latest book, THE WHISTLER. Nick writes horror, crime, and mystery fiction that sits at the intersection of social issues alongside Native American folklore.

The Whistler, his third novel, centers around Henry, a man who suffers immense tragedy following his careless dismissal of an ancient traditional warning: never whistle at night. As Henry copes with the changes to his life and physical condition, he is haunted by a malevolent presence. As he is forced to wrestle with his past choices, he must come to terms with what has truly happened and what is truly haunting him.

We sat down with Nick to discuss his very scary, very thoughtful, and disarmingly moving novel that tugs at the heart strings as often as it chills the spine. It's available wherever books are sold and is a perfect choice for spooky season. We hope you enjoy this special bonus interview!

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We're almost to the end of our Spooky Season series where we examine every entry in the Final Destination franchise. The fifth installment was in many ways a reset. It started with fresh characters, tested out some new kill techniques, and even expanded the mythology of the franchise in ways the previous films hadn't. It had other surprises in store by the time it was over, which made it a remarkably invigorating conclusion (temporarily) to the franchise. Prior to this year's release of Bloodlines, FINAL DESTINATION 5 was the franchise's coda, and a pretty solid one at that.

We're joined this week by pastor and friend of the show Fr Josh Bowron to dive a bit deeper into the metaphysical and theological ramifications of these elaborately conceived deaths. The result is a discussion not only littered with our usual frivolity and fun but also surprisingly contemplative and as thoughtful as we always try to be.

Also featuring a Patron-only segment discussing THE SIMPSONS Treehouse of Horror XX, this is a conversation we're very proud of and one we really hope you enjoy.

Patron Only Segment: The Simpsons, Treehouse of Horror XX

6:43 - FINAL DESTINATION 5

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The fourth installment in the Final Destination franchise slapped an article at the top of the title, threw some 3-D special effects at the wall, and largely dismissed virtually every sensible aspect of quality filmmaking. It's rescued (barely) by some genuinely memorable death sequences in an otherwise aggressively skippable installment. But we did not skip it! Instead, we gathered friend of the show Paula Deming and new friend of the show "Professor" Meg Oak to chat about it -- neither of whom had ever seen a Final Destination film before.

It was an uproariously grand time filled with laughter, head-scratching film notes, and an absurd amount of references to THAT scene in the film. In the midst of all the rampant frivolity, there are even a few moments of earnest and thoughtful reflection about the nature of death when it comes to questions of consequence for abhorrent behavior.

Also featuring a brief stint with The Simpsons, Treehouse of Horror XIX, this is a hearty and vibrant episode that we really hope you enjoy!

7:58 - Debriefing Gen Con with Paula Deming and Meg Oak

13:46 - Business Time -- FOGOWEEN!

Patron Only Segment: The Simpsons, Treehouse of Horror XIX

18:27 - Two Questions with Meg Oak

28:40 - THE FINAL DESTINATION

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We carry on this week with our march through the franchise of death's design by discussing FINAL DESTINATION 3, a real roller coaster for the franchise (literally). The writers who started it all are back and return the franchise to a bit more of its original ominous flavor rather than the silly absurdity of part 2. It's questionable if that was the right choice or not, but to help us find out, we're joined by Vera Goudie and official newcomer to the FoG, Penny Rouse.

Also featuring a Patron-only segment on THE SIMPSONS TREEHOUSE OF HORROR XVIII, it's a breezy and thoughtful discussion that we hope you enjoy!

Patron Only Segment: The Simpsons, Treehouse of Horror XVIII

9:46 - Two Questions with Penny Rouse

16:24 - FINAL DESTINATION 3

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As part of a collegiate course on public speaking, Nathan and Reed were interviewed by professor Noel Manning II about the origins of The Fear of God, its development and change over time, and some of the behind-the-scenes aspects of sustaining a weekly podcast over several years.

It was a privilege and delight to speak with Noel, and we would like to share that interview here for you all as well. You can view the full video interview on YouTube here. Enjoy!

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We have another special interview for you for a film that's hitting theaters this weekend (Oct, 3, 2025). BONE LAKE is a sharp, clever, sensual thriller that explores the nature of trust and suspicion in relationships through a sleek and disarming, twist-filled narrative. A couple's vacation at a secluded estate is upended when they're forced to share the mansion with a mysterious couple. A dream getaway spirals into a nightmarish maze of sex, lies, and manipulation, triggering a battle for survival.

It's a tightly scripted and wonderfully performed suspense thriller, with some big narrative surprises and notable thematic depth. We had the chance to sit briefly with the director, Mercedes Bryce Morgan, to talk about her unique approach to this fun, sleek, and gleefully twisted film.

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