SSC 109: Die Hard (McTiernan, 1988)

In Die Hard, a New York cop must single-handedly battle a group of terrorists who have seized a Los Angeles skyscraper and taken hostages during a Christmas Eve party, including his estranged wife.Die Hard was released on July 15, 1988, and stars Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, Bonnie Bedelia, and Reginald VelJohnson, and was directed by John McTiernan.Recommendations:Tim: Police Story (Chan, 1985)Tay: Behind Enemy Lines (Moore, 2001)Follow: SSC on Instagram Tim on Letterboxd

During Christmas break, a group of sorority sisters at Pi Kappa Sigma begin receiving disturbing obscene phone calls from an unknown stranger. As the festive season continues, the mysterious caller's threats escalate from harassment to deadly violence.Black Christmas was released on October 11, 1974, and stars Olivia Hussey, Keir Dullea, Margot Kidder, and John Saxon, and was directed by Bob Clark.Links:"Recreating New York with Stanley Kubrick"TreevengeThe FearWhistle and I'll Come To YouRecommendations:Tim: A Christmas Story (Clark, 1984)Tay: Treevenge (Eisner, 2008)Kurt: "SCTV Staff Christmas Party" / A Ghost Story for ChristmasFollow: SSC on Instagram Tim on Letterboxd

In Pan's Labyrinth, a young girl seeks her mythical royal heritage in a magical labyrinth during the Spanish Civil War.Starring Ivana Baquero, Sergi López and Doug Jones and directed by Guillermo del Toro, Pan's Labyrinth was released December 29, 2006.Links:ListersRecommendations:Tim: The Wizard of Oz (Fleming, 1939)Tay: Fantastic Planet (Laloux, 1973)Follow: SSC on Instagram Tim on Letterboxd

In The Shape of Water, a mute janitor working in a government laboratory forms a bond with a captive amphibious creature. Starring Sally Hawkins, Doug Jones and Michael Shannon and directed by Guillermo del Toro, The Shape of Water was released December 1, 2017.Recommendations:Tay — The Lure (Smoczynska, 2015)Tim — The Elephant Man (Lynch, 1980)Follow: SSC on Instagram Tim on Letterboxd

In Halloween, a masked killer returns to his quiet suburban hometown after escaping a mental institution and begins stalking a babysitter and her friends on Halloween night.Starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Donald Pleasence and directed by John Carpenter, Halloween was released October 25, 1978.Recommendations:Tim — The Hitcher (Harmon, 1986)—where to watchTay — Halloween H20 (Minor, 1998)—where to watchFollow: SSC on Instagram Tim on Letterboxd

In The Shining, a family heads to an isolated hotel for the winter where a sinister presence influences the father into violence. The young son, gifted with psychic abilities, witnesses disturbing visions of the past and future.Starring Danny Lloyd, Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall and directed by Stanley Kubrick, The Shining was released May 23, 1980.Recommendations:Tim — Doctor Sleep (Flanagan, 2019)—where to watchTay — El Orfanato (Bayona, 2007)—where to watchFollow: SSC on Instagram Tim on Letterboxd

In Weapons, a small town is shaken when an entire third-grade class vanishes overnight, leaving only one child behind, and no clear answers as to where the children went. Starring Julia Garner and Josh Brolin and directed by Zach Cregger, Weapons was released August 8, 2025.Recommendations: Tim — The Innocents (Jack Clayton, 1961)—where to watchTay — Place Beyond the Pines (Derek Cianfrance, 2012)—where to watchFollow: SSC on Instagram Tim on Letterboxd

In 28 Years Later, a father and son leave their quarantined community on a remote island to venture into the zombie-infested mainland.Starring Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Jack O’Connell, and directed by Danny Boyle, 28 Years Later is was released June 20, 2025.Also, don't miss our other podcast, promoting the Peaks Central Asian Film Festival. Check out the latest episode here, and follow them on Instagram here.RecommendationsTim: A Bigger Splash (Guadagnino, 2015)—where to watch.Tay: Dead/Alive (Jackson, 1992)—where to watch.Follow: SSC on Instagram Tim on Letterboxd

In 28 Days Later, a man wakes up in an abandoned hospital to find the world devastated by a mysterious virus. He soon joins a group of survivors, they face both the infected and the horrors of what humanity has become.Starring Cillian Murphy and directed by Danny Boyle, 28 Days Later was released June 27, 2003.Also, don't miss our other podcast, promoting the Peaks Central Asian Film Festival. Check out the latest episode here, and follow them on Instagram here.RecommendationsTim: Re-Animator (Gordon, 1985) — where to watchTay: Southern Comfort (Hill, 1981) — where to watchFollow: SSC on Instagram Tim on Letterboxd

In Zodiac, policemen, journalists and a cartoonist become obsessed with identifying  the titular killer, whose cryptic letters and brutal murders haunt the Bay Area. As the years pass, the case consumes those chasing the truth.Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr., and Mark Ruffalo, and directed by David Fincher, Zodiac was released March 2, 2007.Also, don't miss our other podcast, promoting the Peaks Central Asian Film Festival. Check out the latest episode here, and follow them on Instagram here.RecommendationsTim: Mindhunter (Fincher, 2017) — where to watchTay: All The President's Men (Pakula, 1976) — where to watchFollow: SSC on Instagram Tim on Letterboxd