Before Aliens and Terminator, James Cameron made… Piranha II: The Spawning. A seaside buffet of flying fish, gnawed tourists, and B-movie madness, this cult sequel has been called both “the best flying piranha movie ever made” and “a cinematic shipwreck.”

In this episode, Jon, Ryan, and Kearns dive headfirst into Cameron’s chaotic first directorial outing, the cursed production that nearly sank his career before it started, and why the film has managed to cling to cult status like a school of razor-toothed survivors. Come for the trivia, stay for the blood in the water.

Forget Jaws—this week, the boys dive mouth-first into a blood-soaked lake filled with genetically engineered aquatic nightmares and unapologetic B-movie brilliance.

In Episode 34, Jon, Ryan, and Kearns sink their teeth into Joe Dante’s Piranha (1978), a horror-comedy creature feature where the gore is plentiful, the budget is questionable, and the fish have an agenda. What begins as a government oopsie spirals into a screaming satire of Cold War paranoia, summer vacation, and the dangers of skinny-dipping.

Is Piranha a cheap Jaws knockoff or a glorious toothy gem? Why does the soundtrack go so hard? And would any of us survive a piranha attack, emotionally or physically?

This one’s messy, bloody, and a little too fun.

In 2002, Bill Paxton’s Frailty crept into theaters—a Southern Gothic fever dream of divine visions, buried secrets, and a father’s terrible mission from God. Jon, Ryan, and Kearns descend into the film’s humid, haunted moral swamp, where angels and demons walk in human skin, and family loyalty can damn you just as surely as it can save you. Was it madness, prophecy…or something far worse?

This week, Jon, Ryan, and Kearns step inside one of the darkest rentals in horror history as they unpack Barbarian (2022), the sleeper hit that turns Airbnb anxiety into outright terror.

What makes Barbarian stand out amid modern horror? Is it the cleverly twisted narrative, the chilling exploration of hidden spaces, or its deeper commentary on trust, predation, and trauma? The Xenomania team tackles all angles, dissecting Zach Cregger’s masterful bait-and-switch storytelling, the film's shocking tonal shifts, and its fearless dive into subterranean horror.

Ryan draws unsettling parallels between urban legends and the film’s grotesque revelations, Jon explores the disturbing brilliance of the narrative structure, and Kearns digs into Barbarian’s underlying mythology—touching on everything from folklore’s monstrous mothers to the shadowy history of Detroit itself.

Check the locks, double-check your reservations, and join the team as they journey down into the darkness beneath the ordinary. Just remember: some doors should stay locked.

In this episode of Xenomania, Jon, Ryan, and Kearns crawl deep into the attic of childhood fears to unbox The Monkey—Osgood Perkins’s 2024 adaptation of Stephen King’s short story.

From cymbal crashes to cursed consequences, the team explores how The Monkey taps into one of King’s most haunting themes: the inescapability of family trauma. Is the film just a tale of cursed objects, or is it an allegory for inherited guilt and the decay that follows? Why do so many horror stories use toys as vessels for dread—and what happens when nostalgia turns toxic?

Jon fixates on the monkey’s design and the slow-burn structure. Ryan draws comparisons to Perkins’s previous work and questions whether The Monkey earns its tragedy. Kearns, meanwhile, goes full-tilt mythological, connecting the film to primal trickster figures and death portents across global folklore.

Along the way: discussions on horror pacing, generational hauntings, and why monkey imagery is way creepier than it should be.

Cue cymbals (or, in this case, drums)

Join Jon, Ryan, and Kearns as they unpack the twisted, unsettling cult classic Sleepaway Camp. Beneath its seemingly innocent summer camp setting lies one of horror’s most infamous and shocking finales. From its eerie atmosphere to its exploration of identity, trauma, and small-town secrets, this film’s blend of campfire chills and psychological terror still resonates decades later. We dive deep into the legacy of Sleepaway Camp—the scares, the cult fandom, and why it continues to haunt nightmares and midnight movie marathons alike.

Dive with Jon, Ryan, and Kearns into the murky underground world of C.H.U.D. — Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers. This cult classic 1984 horror flick blends urban decay, government conspiracy, and grotesque monsters lurking beneath the city streets. We unpack its eerie atmosphere, DIY practical effects, and how it taps into the fear of what festers unseen below us. From its campy dialogue to the chilling social commentary, discover why C.H.U.D. still haunts horror fans decades later. Whether you love it or fear it, you won’t want to miss this deep dive into the dank tunnels of terror.

Campfires. Cheap beer. A pact sealed in blood (or was it something worse?). This week, the boys dig deep into the urban legend that inspired I Know What You Did Last Summer—and the eerie, persistent reports of something shadowy stalking coastal towns across America ever since.

Jon, Ryan, and Kearns ask the big questions:

🔪 Why do so many “accidental deaths” near Lover’s Lane end in silence and sealed lips?

📬 Who’s leaving handwritten notes 25 years after the fact?

👁️ And what exactly is The Hookman—an archetype, a tulpa, or something far more real?

Don’t worry, we know you're innocent. ...At least, we think we do. So grab a flashlight, stay out of the rearview mirror, and remember—secrets never stay buried in summer soil. Listen now, or the next note might be for you.

Happy Fourth of July, Xenomaniacs! This week, we're firing up the grill, lighting some questionable fireworks, and diving headfirst into the 1996 cult horror classic Uncle Sam. Nothing says patriotic terror like a zombie vet crawling out of his grave to teach the town a lesson in real American values—like vengeance, paranoia, and flag etiquette... with a bayonet.

Join Jon, Ryan, and Kearns as they dissect the stars, stripes, and slashes of this bizarre holiday horror. Expect bad puns, questionable fashion choices (Uncle Sam’s hat deserves its own credit), and a few fireworks of their own as they unpack what happens when patriotism goes very wrong.

So grab a cold one, avoid the camouflage coffins, and tune in—because this Independence Day, the dead walk for liberty!

Join Jon, Ryan, and Kearns as they dive deep into Alex Garland’s anticipated film, "28 Years Later." From fierce debates over pacing to hilarious fan critiques, unpack the highs and lows of this long-awaited sequel to the iconic "28 Days Later" and "28 Weeks Later." Expect plenty of laughs, sharp commentary, and some shambling cinematic insights—because not even a zombie apocalypse is safe from internet humor!