Alien: Chest Pains

We’re heading back into space for the second in the franchise. Join Rae and Grace as they talk all things Aliens (1986), James Cameron’s action-packed sequel to Ridley Scott’s iconic sci-fi horror classic Alien. This week on The Final Cut, Grace and Rae visit one of the most influential science-fiction films of all time and ask the big question: does Aliens live up to the original, or does it take the franchise in an entirely different direction? Starring Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley, Aliens trades the claustrophobic terror of the Nostromo for a heavily armed squad of Colonial Marines, a terrifying new threat and some of the most memorable moments in sci-fi cinema. From its legendary practical effects and unforgettable one-liners to the introduction of the iconic Alien Queen, we’re breaking down what makes this 1986 sequel such a beloved classic - and why Ripley remains one of cinema’s greatest action heroes. We also get into the film’s deeper themes, including motherhood, survival, and trauma. Is Aliens really a story about humanity fighting an unstoppable monster, or is there something much more interesting happening beneath the surface? Plus, we put Rae to the test with our pre-film trivia quiz, explore the behind-the-scenes tensions during filming at Pinewood Studios, and discuss how James Cameron transformed the Alien franchise from slow-burning space horror into a landmark sci-fi action film. Find all things RAE here. Find all things REDRUM here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to The Final Cut! For our very first episode of season 3, Grace is joined by new co-host extrordinaire RAE of Rae Reviews! Rae and Grace go back to where it all started: Ridley Scott’s Alien (1979), the film that proved space really is the worst place to have a bad day... We’re digging into why this sci-fi horror still gets under our skin more than 40 years on. Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley, a crew of tired space truckers, and one very uninvited guest on the Nostromo make for one of the most claustrophobic watches out there. Is it the creature design? The sound? The fact that nobody in this film seems to have ever heard of quarantine? We’ve got thoughts. We also chat about the film’s bigger ideas, from corporate greed to the body horror that made that dinner scene legendary, and ask whether there’s more going on than a monster picking off a crew one by one. Plus, we quiz Rae with our pre-film trivia round, swap behind-the-scenes stories from the making of the film, and talk about how Alien set the template for sci-fi horror (and left everyone else scrambling to keep up). Press play, keep the lights on, and remember: in space, no one can hear you scream. Sadly, in this podcast, everyone can hear Rae’s trivia answer. Find all things RAE ⁠here⁠. Find all things REDRUM ⁠here⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alice and Grace tackle the final film, and end with a ranking of the entire Paranormal Activity franchise! Listen to Truly Criminal: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Listen to REDRUM: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Alice and Grace visit the penultimate (for now) Paranormal Activity film... and let's just say, it's not for us. There are some rare moments of brilliance in this film, but mostly join Grace and Alice as they speak about how this film could have been SO MUCH BETTER. Listen to Truly Criminal: ⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠ Listen to REDRUM: ⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we're going into the film of the franchise that Alice LOVED and Grace HATED, but by the end there's some unbelievable tekkers from the entire Paranormal Activity creative team and we end in the strongest position we've been in since the first film. Can Alice change Grace's mind about how this one hits? Spoiler alert: Yep. Listen to Truly Criminal: ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠ Listen to REDRUM: ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Grace and Alice dive into Paranormal Activity 4. Grace LOVED it, Alice HATED it and that makes for one stellar convo! There's talk of what actually makes a scare, scary... and when does a classic horror film reference become a little too much? JOIN US! Listen to Truly Criminal: ⁠⁠here⁠⁠ Listen to REDRUM: ⁠⁠here⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Grace and Alice are talking all things Paranormal Activity 3 where we meet go back in time to (one of) the origins of Katie and Kristi's relationship with all things paranormal. This is Alice's favourite, and for good reason! By far the scariest of the franchise... let's dive in! Listen to Truly Criminal: ⁠⁠here⁠⁠ Listen to REDRUM: ⁠⁠here⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Grace and Alice jump into Paranormal Activity 2 where we meet Katie's sister Kristi and follow her family's journey when Paranormal Activity 1 was taking place... This episode helps us get a little context for what was going on during the first film, and where we're at now... Listen to Truly Criminal: ⁠here⁠ Listen to REDRUM: ⁠here⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alice takes us through her experience of Paranormal Activity: The Stage Show... and it's an absolute treat. Join Grace as we're transported through the most compelling storytelling... you do not want to miss this! Listen to Truly Criminal: ⁠here⁠ Listen to REDRUM: ⁠here⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why did Paranormal Activity feel different? Join Grace and Alice as they revisit the film that quietly changed horror... no jump-scare overload, no dramatic score, just a camera left on and the creeping sense that something wasn’t right. They break down how Paranormal Activity blurred the line between fiction and reality, it's ingenuous use of sound, and why its simplicity made it so unsettling. From found-footage realism to the subtlty, silence, and suggestion, this episode explores why the fear lingered long after the screen went dark... Because the scariest horror doesn’t announce itself. It just… happens. Listen to Truly Criminal: here Listen to REDRUM: here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices