The Phantom of the Opera (2004): "Principessa Bella Diva"

We've got a lot to celebrate this week, Spookies! Not only is it our very own Monica's birthday, it's also a Fifth Tuesday and the sneaky unofficial start to a new themed month — so of course we had to cover The Phantom of the Opera (2004). A luxe movie musical that captures the theatrical flair of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Broadway show and pairs it with the camp sensibilities of director Joel Schumacher, this flick practically jumps out of the screen when that first booming note hits. On a new Spooky Tuesday, we challenge you not to sing along as we talk all things score and book lore. References:https://www.cheatsheet.com/news/did-minnie-driver-and-emmy-rossum-feud-on-the-phantom-of-the-opera-set.html/https://x.com/driverminnie/status/1275219191323217920https://x.com/JohnTylerJRT/status/884599605601738752https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/how-to-explain-trumps-love-for-the-musical-catshttps://www.onstageblog.com/columns/2015/11/29/why-it-sucked-the-phantom-of-the-opera

Pitching itself as The Substance meets Mean Girls, Slanted (2026) is the hot new high school body horror hitting the scene — but if you go in expecting either of those movies, you're not setting yourself up for success. A slower-paced but sharply-fanged satire, this flick looks at life in America with fresh eyes as it explores themes of immigration and assimilation. With Shirley Chen and Mckenna Grace sharing one race-swapping role as Joan-turned-Jo, Amy Wang's first feature examines one way to try and remove racism from your life, and we're digging into the details on a new Spooky Tuesday.   References: https://joysauce.com/slanted-director-amy-wang-wants-you-to-confront-your-asian-shame/ https://www.cinemablend.com/interviews/real-life-inspirations-behind-new-horror-movie-slanted Interview with Slanted Cast and DirectorInterview with Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Amelie Zilber, and Amy Wang

Did a certain recent release have you longing for a little more David Arquette? Then you might be on the same page as our Patrons, because when it came time for them to pick a flick in our Quarterly Vote, they went with Eight Legged Freaks (2002). A creature feature that takes creepy crawlies and gives them the classic toxic waste treatment, this monster movie dares to ask if there's anything scarier than a spider. The answer, BTW? Two hundred spiders that are all really big. Join us on a new Spooky Tuesday as we talk squashing bugs, Scarlett Johansson, government conspiracies, and 4DX effects. References: https://knowablemagazine.org/content/article/mind/2021/are-spiders-intelligenthttps://www.burkemuseum.org/collections-and-research/biology/arachnology-and-entomology/spider-myths/myth-daddy-longlegs-wouldhttps://www.unmc.edu/healthsecurity/transmission/2023/10/31/is-it-true-that-you-sometimes-swallow-spiders-in-your-sleep/https://www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts/insects-invertebrates/spitting-spider-guidehttps://villains.fandom.com/wiki/Spiders_(Eight_Legged_Freaks)https://bloody-disgusting.com/editorials/3551125/eight-legged-freaks-remains-criminally-overlooked-horror-comedy/https://sarahalbeebooks.com/reel-bugs-8-legged-freaks/https://pophorror.com/ten-fun-facts-about-ellory-elkayems-eight-legged-freaks-2002/

In the horror community, opinions are majorly divided when it comes to Scream 7 (2026) — and that holds true here at Spooky Tuesday. Throwing it back to our Day 1 roots, we're tackling the newest collab between Neve Campbell, Kevin Williamson, and our boy Matthew Lillard as we evaluate what sort of place this flick has in the larger Ghostface franchise. Join us on our latest episode as we talk commentary and kills while waxing nostalgic about Scream movies past.  References:https://www.joblo.com/scream-7-review-a-second-opinion/https://www.decodingeverything.com/scream-7-review-artistic-failure/

If you love a movie with a twist or just one that's twisted, Se7en (1995) is probably at the top of your list. A serial killer crime story that stars Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Gwyneth Paltrow, and the admin from your favorite medical shows as five-second side characters, this fucked up flick draws inspiration from the seven deadly sins — and potentially a secret eighth one if you buy into those theories. With its torturous death tableaus, it also reads as a clear precursor to John Kramer's Saw traps, and we're discussing all those details and more on a new Spooky Tuesday. References:https://screenrant.com/se7en-hidden-details-never-noticed-movie/https://filmobsessive.com/film/film-analysis/one-key-detail-will-change-the-way-you-watch-se7en/https://www.reddit.com/r/FanTheories/comments/1f5ogv/se7en_john_doe_was_not_the_killer_somerset_was/SE7EN : Deleted Scenes, Alt. Beginning & Ending (w/edits) Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Gwyneth PaltrowDeleted Scenes with Commentary | Se7en

Sorry, Spookies, we didn't mean to pick a flick that was impossible to see in theaters — but if you can manage to hunt down a showing of Cold Storage (2026) near you, it's definitely worth the watch. Starring Joe Keery, Georgina Campbell, and Liam Neeson, this horror comedy tackles the zombie genre in ways that are both familiar and fresh. With CLEAR references to films like The Return of the Living Dead, Train to Busan, and Alien, David Koepp's smart new book-turned-screenplay is very much in conversation with the genre, and we're pointing out parallels and parsing the different kinds of pastries on a new Spooky Tuesday. References:https://www.nasa.gov/history/45-years-ago-skylab-reenters-earths-atmosphere/Zombie Ant Fungus Explained

Sushi dinners with Rachel McAdams on a tropical island? That sounds like heaven to us, so we're not sure what Dylan O'Brien is complaining about in Sam Raimi's new horror comedy, Send Help (2026). On our latest Spooky Tuesday, we're getting to the bottom of it, though, as we revisit our Survivor days, push Teen Wolf on Monica, and break down all that CGI gore. Whether you saw this flick in 4DX 3D or just regular stylez sans piped-in tuna smell, there's no denying that it makes for a fun ride, so join us as we hop on a plane and head out to sea to get our hands dirty.References:Rachel McAdams, Dylan O'Brien, and Sam Raimi Break Down a Survival Scene from 'Send Help'Sam Raimi Gushes About How Stephen King Gave Him His First Chance In The Film BusinessSam Raimi On Putting Rachel McAdams And Dylan O'Brien In Brutal Scenarios For 'Send Help'Dylan O'Brien Goes ROGUE Interviewing Send Help Co-Star Rachel McAdamsMean Girls "One Way or Another"Rugrats The Movie (2000) - One Way Or Another

Ready to get romantic? For our Valentine’s Day episode, we thought we’d host the ultimate getaway at a little place we like to call Bone Lake (2025). Located out in an isolated wood, it’s as sexy — and deadly — as it sounds, and this flick turns up the heat when two couples discover they’ve booked the same luxurious lake house for the weekend. Starring Malignant’s Maddie Hasson and directed by Mercedes Bryce Morgan, this week’s movie features breakups, make ups, and mind games. What more could a Spooky Tuesday ask for?References: Director AMA

Ready for The Big Game™, Spookies? The most exciting day in football is right around the corner, and we wanted to get in on the fun — which is why we picked HIM (2025) for this week's episode. On our latest Spooky Tuesday, we're hitting the field with Marlon Wayans and Tyriq Withers for a little pigskin practice as we toss around the ball, nuggets of sports history, classic Americana themes, and theories about what's going down behind-the-scenes in Justin Tipping's trippy flick. References:https://www.motionpictures.org/2025/09/how-director-justin-tipping-mixed-art-nike-ads-multiple-genres-in-his-sports-horror-him/Nike Freestyle AdJonathan Glazer's Jordans Adhttps://artsfuse.org/317121/film-review-him-a-carpet-bombing-of-the-optic-nerve/https://nerdist.com/watch/video/him-interview-the-horror-of-sports-religion/https://time.com/7318791/him-movie-ending-explained/Lucas Blue Him (2025) Breakdown & Analysishttps://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/cannupa-hanska-luger-mascot-jordan-peele-horror-film-him-1234756028/https://www.theworldwar.org/learn/about-wwi/football-and-wwihttps://bloody-disgusting.com/exclusives/3906346/him-costume-designer-dominique-dawson-shares-exclusive-insight-and-images/

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