The Ugly Stepsister (2025): "Not Appropriate for the Airport"

We know, we know, The Descent: Part 2 (2009) might just be one of the most hated sequels in horror history, but what if for Chelsea's birthday we pretend it wasn't? On our latest episode of Spooky Tuesday, we're picking up right where we left off two years ago and heading back into those unexplored Appalachian caves, where we're discovering even *more* gay subtext than we found the first time around. This episode has it all — toxic yuri, throuples, and CLEAR references to other films like Sky High and I Know What You Did Last Summer — so turn your brain pea-sized like a crawler's and simply enjoy the silliness of a movie that answers the all-important question: where exactly *do* the cave creatures poop?References: https://www.thefrightclubni.com/post/exclusive-the-descent-turns-16-interview-with-shauna-macdonaldhttps://fanlore.org/wiki/Toxic_Yaoi/Yurihttps://www.reddit.com/r/FIlm/comments/s5eg66/the_descent_2005_a_film_about_queer_childbirth/https://www.reddit.com/r/horror/comments/130krnn/what_was_the_point_of_the_descent_part_ii_so_they/https://x.com/spooky_tuesday/status/1706369802007351415

Can a Fifth Tuesday be the *first* Tuesday of the month? We're pretty sure we laid that groundwork over the summer, which is why we're kicking off back-to-school season with Sky High (2005), our non-spooky freebie for September. Though it definitely brings the Halloween dress up vibes, this flick may be more family friendly than fearsome, but it still stars horror icons like Kurt Russell, Bruce Campbell and Mary Elizabeth Winstead. With its empowering message, extremely pleasing color palette, and an all-time bad-boy-with-a-heart-of-gold performance in Warren Peace, this movie was the moment back in the day — and, 20 years later, we're talking on our latest episode of Spooky Tuesday about why it still is. References:https://screenrant.com/sky-high-movie-trivia-facts/https://www.cbr.com/sky-high-2-doomed-sequel-story-details/https://thedisinsider.com/2024/06/01/sky-high-director-reveals-plans-for-potential-sequel/https://thedisinsider.com/2024/03/06/sky-high-director-is-ready-for-a-sequel/https://screenrant.com/sky-high-almost-got-sequel-save-university/

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, several different European countries came together to make a new body horror black comedy. A fairytale retelling from the perspective of a traditional Cinderella side character, The Ugly Stepsister (2025) doesn't shy away from how gruesome those classic stories can be. This flick was also a near-winner for our quarterly Patreon poll, so we figured the best way to end Au-Guessed You Might Want Us to Continue the New Release Theme Into August would be to throw it back several centuries to the days of yore. Join us on our latest Spooky Tuesday as we talk tape worm eggs, try our hands at improv, and ponder the never-ending pressure to be young and beautiful. References:https://youtu.be/iXHCOR-FPrE?si=Q-SDIAf3Yk41oJTGhttps://youtu.be/TeEAlWSIY3E?si=gaMGpu7r7qWI-Vq8https://www.grimmstories.com/en/grimm_fairy-tales/aschenputtelhttps://sites.pitt.edu/~dash/grimm021.htmlhttps://sites.pitt.edu/~dash/type0510a.htmlhttps://plasticsurgeryofboston.com/the-origin-of-plastic-surgery/https://www.123dentist.com/123-dentist-presents-history-braces/https://www.tiktok.com/@history_with_amy/video/7281247339480681761https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/the-ugly-stepsister-review-1235087462/https://www.vulture.com/article/review-the-ugly-stepsister-is-fairy-tale-body-horror.html

We did it, Spookies! We finally made it to our 249th episode, the milestone that is of course the most important and special and that all podcasts strive to reach! Given this momentous occasion, we wanted to celebrate with a bang — which is why we just couldn't wait to tackle Weapons (2025), the movie our Patrons voted for us to cover this quarter. One of the summer's biggest releases and a flick taking over the horror meme-o-sphere, Zach Cregger's latest project had audiences rushing to theaters, and here at Spooky Tuesday we were definitely part of the crowd. Join us this week as we talk about iconic cameos (Justin Long? June Diane Raphael? Aquamarine?!), narrative structure, and our new-found love for Austin Abrams. References:https://youtu.be/dzwMW6nHyhQ?si=SCugIz2vwLNcidNUhttps://youtu.be/KxUJq7BKgqw?si=EeFselZpsZ43xsAXhttps://youtu.be/xWZBtA7QuTs?si=0PcZPBLX4YjgMY9zhttps://youtu.be/gh-bYGENJz0?si=FcSPvfSgNVec2PDihttps://youtu.be/RqAWj4irMM8?si=MK_pH6ATszjLIiRthttps://fandomwire.com/zach-creggers-floating-gun-scene-in-weapons-offers-no-definite-answers-i-dont-understand-it/https://www.ign.com/articles/weapons-has-a-secret-weapon-and-thats-why-its-a-great-horror-moviehttps://thedirect.com/article/weapons-2025-movie-title-explainedhttps://gizmodo.com/weapons-spoilers-zach-cregger-gladys-amy-madigan-2000637376https://www.slashfilm.com/1934386/weapons-aunt-gladys-villain-motivation-explained/

It's any Spooky's dream to own an antiques store full of all kinds of haunted odds and ends, but Darcy is struggling with a nightmare in Oddity (2024). After the murder of her twin sister, she's determined to know more about the man who committed the crime — and her clairvoyant powers are all she needs if she can just get her hands on a few specific items. On a new Spooky Tuesday, we're sticking with our theme of new (enough) releases as we explore an Irish indie flick firmly grounded in the overlap between our world and the next. References:https://mashable.com/article/oddity-wooden-man-damian-mccarthyhttps://mashable.com/article/oddity-ending-explainerhttps://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/oddity-review-1234966875/https://www.indiewire.com/features/craft/oddity-wooden-man-paul-mcdonnell-damian-mccarthy-interview-1235029113/

Spookies, Au-Guessed That You Might Want Us to Continue the New Release Theme Into August, which is why we're keeping our coverage recent with Strange Darling (2024). Though it first debuted on the festival scene in 2023, JT Mollner's out-of-order story hit theaters just last year, and it left audiences buzzing. Not only did Willa Fitzgerald and scream king Kyle Gallner deliver powerful performances as The Lady and The Demon, the nature of the narrative also lent itself to some major discourse. On top of that, it features cameos from Barbara Hershey, Ed Begley Jr., and the most intense breakfast we've ever laid eyes on, so needless to say we've got a lot to sink our teeth into on a new Spooky Tuesday. Bon appétit!References: https://scriptmag.com/interviews-features/flipping-the-script-on-the-final-girl-a-conversation-with-strange-darling-writer-director-jt-mollnerhttps://saltlakefilmreview.com/2024/08/24/strange-darling-has-some-serious-problems/https://www.thetribune.ca/a-e/misogynistic-tropes-in-strange-darling-overshadow-its-thrills-10092024/https://www.reddit.com/r/horror/comments/1foonqt/lets_talk_about_the_sexual_politics_of_strange/https://decider.com/2025/03/04/strange-darling-ending-explained-strange-darling-end-credits-podcast-art-pallone/https://youtu.be/SSaLydxSjSk?si=lTemJrJh4BiucFXPhttps://www.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/1eypgxs/hey_rmovies_im_jt_mollner_director_and/

You know what we did last summer, Spookies — which is why we had to bring back I Know What You Did Last 🤘 SUMMER 🤘 for the release of the newest film in the franchise. Taking a sort of Scream 5 requel approach (and borrowing a few other things from the Scream series), this flick introduced us to a new crew of Gen Z youngsters while also revisiting familiar faces. But how does it measure up against the originals? And does it even need to as long as it's better than that straight-to-video third movie? On our latest episode and the last installment of Ju-Lying If You Said You Didn't Want Us to Cover Some New Releases This July (as we've been calling it all month), we're heading back to Southport with I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025).References: https://variety.com/2025/film/features/jennifer-love-hewitt-i-know-what-you-did-last-summer-brandy-1236464471/https://people.com/lola-tung-nicholas-alexander-chavez-cut-i-know-what-you-did-last-summer-exclusive-11766135https://people.com/i-know-what-you-did-last-summer-director-defends-twist-exclusive-11774571https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/movies/2025/07/19/i-know-what-you-did-last-summer-killer-spoilers/84518416007/https://www.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/1m2q3hj/comment/n3tlksu/https://www.reddit.com/r/horror/comments/1m2orn9/comment/n4mrps1/?context=3https://x.com/JennKaytin/status/1947404141980225615

The new releases just keep coming, Spookies! This week we're covering Companion (2025), the hotly anticipated horoco/hocoro that stars some of the biggest up-and-comers in the genre. Featuring Sophie Thatcher and Jack Quaid as a retro-futuristic couple — no matter how much of an oxymoron that might sound like — and with support from Lukas Gage, Harvey Guillén, and Megan Suri, this flick doesn't pull any punches on its performances. We don't want to say too much (unlike the trailers, which gave away the whole goat or whatever the saying is), but we're asking the important questions and breaking down all the best bits on the latest Spooky Tuesday. References:https://screenrant.com/companion-2-chances-unlikely-explained-drew-hancock/

If we're sticking with our sneaky theme of new releases, then we *have* to talk about Sinners (2025). One of the biggest movies to hit screens this year — and already the subject of future Oscar speculation — Ryan Coogler's latest collab with bestie Michael B. Jordan had audiences buzzing. This movie produced its fair share of both ~discourse~ and discussion, and we're adding our voices to the choir as we break down the vampire design, fall in love with Wunmi Mosaku and Hailee Steinfeld, and talk about that very important tutorial on how to eat some ice cream.  References: https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2025-04-16/ryan-coogler-ludwig-goransson-sinners-music-blueshttps://historycanthide.substack.com/p/everything-you-missed-in-ryan-cooglershttps://www.metmuseum.org/perspectives/sahel-sunjata-stories-songshttps://screenrant.com/sinners-soundtrack-song-guide/https://variety.com/2025/artisans/news/sinners-ludwig-goransson-sinners-soundtrack-ryan-coogler-1236368959/https://www.aaihs.org/the-sinners-movie-syllabus/https://www.indiewire.com/features/podcast/sinners-ryan-coogler-inspiration-explained-1235115400/https://www.spectrecollie.com/2025/04/21/pick-poor-robin-clean-one-more-thing-i-love-about-sinners/

Spookies, would you rather A) face off against a single clown in a cornfield B) take on one corn in a whole field of clowns or C) talk about Ginny and Georgia when you’re supposed to be recording a horror movie podcast? On our latest episode, we’re exploring all three of those options as we cover Katie Douglas in Clown in a Cornfield (2025). Based on a series of books from Adam Cesare, this flick is giving summer slasher in the best way, and we’re breaking down the tropes, familiar faces, and possible sequels on a new Spooky Tuesday. References: https://variety.com/2025/film/news/clown-in-a-cornfield-twist-explained-author-adam-cesare-1236396086/