Bugonia (2025): "Bees. Basement. Spaceship. Emily-Bald."

Rumor has it that this week's pick might be one of the best pictures of 2025 — and with the Oscars showing the horror genre so much love this year, we figured we'd repay the favor. On our latest episode, we're taking a hard look at the world and what's really going on with Bugonia (2025), the latest collaboration between Yorgos Lanthimos, Emma Stone, and Jesse Plemons. This flick asks some interesting questions about aliens, conspiracy theories, and power dynamics, and we're diving into it all on the newest Spooky Tuesday. References:https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/film-tv/a69205373/bugonia-ending-explained/https://nerdist.com/article/bugonia-yorgos-lanthimos-film-review/https://www.npr.org/2025/10/30/nx-s1-5591161/bugonia-reviewhttps://youtu.be/Ul1DR02mL4A?si=cdV8w-tuPJmFwuk1https://www.indiewire.com/features/craft/yorgos-lanthimos-bugonia-production-design-space-1235166364/https://youtu.be/t8-Jz3MyBXw?si=a7IpXE1OIBeEnkpzhttps://youtu.be/mop-xm1TK9g?si=P6MS1aMX5hy2JxFlhttps://youtu.be/y60YgT6A9KI?si=Yf9K9El49guO4AaR

It's that time of year again, Spookies: Matthew Lillard's birthday has circled around on the calendar once more, and we're celebrating with Five Nights at Freddy's 2 (2025). Though this flick is a little light on the Matty Lilly, it does give us the Billy & Stu reunion we've long been yearning for — at least sort of. With Skeet Ulrich joining the cast, our fave two homoerotic horror actors were reunited on the red carpet, and we're hopeful the third installment will give us even more. Join us on a new Spooky Tuesday as we break down our theories about the middle movie of the FNAF trilogy. References:https://www.slashfilm.com/2042991/five-nights-at-freddys-2-review/https://movieweb.com/hidden-video-game-easter-eggs-five-nights-at-freddys-2/

The holidays may be over, but it’s still important to get the whole family together, which is why we picked Silent Night (2021) to help bring us back from our break. A nontraditional horror movie about spending the end of the world with the people you care about, it raises questions that are unfortunately all too relevant to our trying times. On our latest episode of Spooky Tuesday, we’re getting the gang back together to talk about friendship, British humor, and all the toxic whirlydos headed our way. References:https://ew.com/movies/silent-night-ending-explained/https://screenrant.com/silent-night-movie-ending-explained-art-twist-meaning/https://blackgirlnerds.com/review-silent-night-is-a-british-tale-of-impending-doom/https://www.dreadcentral.com/interviews/419145/silent-night-director-defends-her-divisive-christmas-horror-story/

Our Patrons made their voices heard, Spookies, and the official results are in: We're covering The Thing (2011) for our Quarterly Patreon Pick. Less a remake of the 1982 John Carpenter original and more a revisiting to that same universe, this flick continues to explore the lore behind the ever elusive ~thing.~ It also stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead as an Ellen Ripley-esque scientist, so you *know* that's right up our alley. On our last episode of 2025, we're getting into the original plans for this scifi flick, the studio meddling that knocked it off course, and all the various ways we could sex it up to make an Antarctic research station just a little bit hotter. Check out our episode on The Thing (1982) here: https://www.spookytuesdaypod.com/latest-episodes/the-thing-1982References:https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/the-thing-2011-stealth-prequel-john-carpenter-original-strongerhttps://cinapse.co/2019/11/the-thing-2011-its-probably-better-than-you-remember/https://www.cinemablend.com/movies/i-rewatched-2011s-the-thing-and-still-believe-it-gets-too-much-hatehttps://activemaas.wordpress.com/2024/01/16/continuity-and-discrepancy-in-1982-and-2011-the-thing/https://wickedhorror.com/features/editorials/practical-matters-the-frustrating-story-of-the-thing-prequel-we-could-have-had/https://monsterlegacy.net/2013/03/03/the-thing-pilot-alien-creature-deleted-fired/https://www.reddit.com/r/RedLetterMedia/comments/8yoy9f/i_had_access_to_behind_the_scenes_of_the_thing/https://open.substack.com/pub/thecurvingeye/p/xenomaternity-and-meThe Thing Making Of: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDn4XBKXrCkThe Thing ADI In House Tests: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3R8ASn25GLg

The spirit of Frankenstein still lives within us, Spookies — which is why we're just not ready to move on from some of those themes. This week, we're staying in the gothic horror genre as we cover The Woman in Black (2012), a remake of an '80s made-for-TV movie that stars Daniel Radcliffe in one of his first non-Potter roles. A ghost story with a karmic kick, this flick features chihuahuas in sailor suits, dancing monkeys, and all the ether you could ever dream of, so join us on a new Spooky Tuesday as we go trawling through the muck and fog to try and put some souls to rest. References:https://fantasyliterature.com/reviews/the-woman-in-black/https://moviecuriosities.fmuk.org.uk/?p=2786https://ruelleelectrique.wordpress.com/2012/02/09/film-review-the-woman-in-black-sister-to-la-llorona-and-the-lady-of-the-lake/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2012/feb/05/susan-hill-jane-goldman-interview?newsfeed=true

Happy Thanksgiving, Spookies! This week, we're thankful for Herman Munster, chest hair, and cuddly cats, because we're celebrating the holiday with Stephen King's Pet Sematary (1989). One of the few adaptations of his books that the prolific author actually got to write the screenplay for himself, this flick is interesting in the ways it both stuck to and veered away from the original story. On our latest episode of Spooky Tuesday, we're diving into those differences and dodging 18 wheelers as we talk about the merits of playing god and slaying a cunty little funeral fit. References:https://www.slashfilm.com/1546643/stephen-king-pet-sematary-creepy-painting-meaning/https://pshares.org/blog/death-as-the-villain-in-pet-sematary/https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2013/feb/21/rereading-stephen-king-pet-semataryhttps://www.strangeharbors.com/blog/2019/4/3/revisiting-1989s-pet-semataryhttps://newrepublic.com/article/153546/pet-sematary-refuses-diehttps://www.brightwalldarkroom.com/2018/08/10/pet-sematary-these-corruptible-vessels/https://screenrant.com/pet-sematary-movie-george-romero-not-director-stephen-king/https://stephenking.com/xf/index.php?threads/the-real-question-about-the-ending-spoilers.19690/

Is he hot or is he just 6’5 and made up of various large men’s most beautiful body parts? Is he hot or just played by Jacob Elordi in 10 hours of prosthetics on wobbly fawn legs and with a glimmer of innocence and curiosity in his eyes? On a new Spooky Tuesday, we’re talking about Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein (2025), and we’re asking the important questions, like who drinks milk? And what *is* the meaning of circles? Join us on our latest episode as we head up to the Arctic Circle to explore the nature of life and death, butterfly seductions, and generational cycles of trauma.References: Tour of Victor's Lab: https://youtu.be/JRiLMssdaco?si=1klpMP_A20R4p8K0Color Coding: https://youtu.be/E_Ys8Mpl0BU?si=kMNszcAjooEMPwj6https://youtube.com/shorts/1J6lvmU7NZc?si=S3IGPgeIRaEoza0XBreaking down the scene where The Creature and Elizabeth first meet: https://youtu.be/ngOJpHi4eR0?si=NJ-wxvvGFN3p407shttps://youtu.be/zYV3a3VMC3E?si=LkftHNGq8sDyk84Ahttps://youtu.be/zYV3a3VMC3E?si=tXGBxDvuVDDd9KOkhttps://ew.com/frankenstein-guillermo-del-toro-mia-goth-break-down-scene-when-elizabeth-creature-meet-11845438https://defector.com/guillermo-del-toros-frankenstein-is-flawed-because-his-creature-is-nothttps://www.elle.com/culture/movies-tv/a69286597/frankenstein-netflix-movie-vs-book-differences-explained/https://www.artforum.com/columns/guillermo-del-toro-frankenstein-film-tyler-dean-1234737781/https://bloody-disgusting.com/editorials/3914069/10-easter-eggs-in-guillermo-del-toros-frankenstein/https://www.netflix.com/tudum/features/frankenstein-jacob-elordi-makeup-monster-creationSpark Notes: https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/frankenstein/summary/https://medievalmilanetc.wordpress.com/2012/08/25/st-bartholomew-flayed/https://www.berniewrightson.com/galleries/frankenstein/Paige Michalchuk: https://www.instagram.com/p/DQxX2H1CTql/

Promising that any project will “redefine the found footage genre” might set the bar a little high, but audiences were hyped for Shelby Oaks (2025). The debut feature of film critic turned movie maker Chris Stuckmann, this flick got the ball rolling with a fan-backed Kickstarter and ended with horror icon Mike Flanagan lending his name to the poster. But what happens when the word-of-mouth momentum doesn’t seem to last past the premiere date? On a new episode of Spooky Tuesday, we’re examining the tapes for ourselves and adding our voices to the fray as we discuss what worked, where things went wrong, what the casual viewer might not know about the effort that went into this demonic offering to Tarion, and where Monica’s least favorite Taylor Swift lyrics come into play. Welcome to our underworld, Spookies — it’s about to get quite dark. References:https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/how-chris-stuckmann-neon-shelby-oaks-1235956162/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/shelby-oaks-chris-stuckmann-new-ending-1236415484/https://www.indiewire.com/features/commentary/shelby-oaks-post-mortem-1235157726/https://www.polygon.com/shelby-oaks-ending-explained-chris-stuckmann-interview/

As hard as Tiffany Valentine slays, we knew we weren't going to get nearly our fill of Jennifer Tilly in Bride of Chucky — which is why Jennifer Tilly TwosWeeks continues with Bound (1996). One of the homoerotic thrillers that got just barely edged out of our Pride lineup last season, this flick has been waiting for us to circle back, and now that Spooky Season has gone back into hibernation (though, let's be real, that doesn't stop us from being spooky year round), November felt like the perfect time. Don't get us wrong, though — this Wachowski sisters project may not be a horror movie in the traditional sense, but between the mafia drama, lesbian sex, and Gina Gershon's everything, it'll definitely have your heart racing. References:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labrys#Lesbian_symbolhttps://www.theguardian.com/culture/2021/jul/30/bound-the-wachowskis-immaculately-crafted-queer-thriller-was-a-test-run-for-the-matrix

Technically, Spookies, Sydneypalooza goes all the way to the end of October, and while Clowntober TwosWeeks may have come to a close, another themed event is just beginning. You may have noticed our gorgeous new episode art for Season 6(66), and you may have noticed that Sydney is all gussied up as a very iconic figure in it — which is why we figured that our Halloween episode would be exactly the right time to cover Bride of Chucky (1998). Although we’ve barely dipped our toes into the Child’s Play franchise, we’ve got a lot of love for both Charles Lee Ray and Tiffany Valentine here at Spooky Tuesday, and we’re ready to pay homage to one of horror’s hottest (and most toxic) couples as we kick off Jennifer Tilly TwosWeeks with our latest episode. References:https://screenrant.com/bride-of-chucky-behind-scenes-facts-trivia/