169 - The Best of 2020 →

CW: Rape

2020 was a dumpster fire and Chris and Kelsey are looking on the bright side by paying tribute to the best movies they watched last year! Plus, our personal Top 10 lists and the 10 movies on which we disagreed with the critics the most!

To listen to these episodes and check out their individual source credits, click the links below:

7 (Tied): http://bit.ly/3hFKQgH
7 (Tied): http://bit.ly/2KXqbZK
7 (Tied): http://bit.ly/38cr7lP
7 (Tied): http://bit.ly/38aH0ci
7 (Tied): http://bit.ly/2X7pjnN
7 (Tied): http://bit.ly/3585Do7
6: http://bit.ly/38QHzak
5: https://bit.ly/38SZKfI
4: http://bit.ly/38aH0ci
3: http://bit.ly/3hN51cU
2: http://bit.ly/3ooJkSE
1: http://bit.ly/3nfTSSS

Additional Audio Sources:
"Christine" produced by Columbia Pictures, et al.
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones
"Thor: Ragnarok" produced by Marvel Studios, et al.

163 - Dial M for Murder (1954) & You’re Next (2011) →

Best of 2020 - #7 (Tied) Dial M for Murder

It’s Murder Plots Gone Wrong Week on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey lay the best schemes. What could possibly gang agley?

Read our afterthoughts for this episode here!

The Classic Film: Dial M for Murder (1954)
"A former tennis player tries to arrange his wife's murder after learning of her affair” (IMDb.com). Ok, we'll admit: this isn't really a horror movie. But it's so good! And the tension is palpable.

The Modern Film: You’re Next (2011)
"When a gang of masked, ax-wielding murderers descend upon the Davison family reunion, the hapless victims seem trapped... until an unlikely guest of the family proves to be the most talented killer of all” (Lionsgate). The movie that supposedly brought back the home invasion movie and strong horror heroines, You're Next is good, but is it as good as everyone says?

Audio Sources:
"Dial M for Murder (1954)" produced by Warner Bros.
"Looking for Magic" written by Dwight A. Twilley and performed by Dwight Twilley Band
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones
"Split" produced by Universal Pictures, et al.
"TCM Now Showing" hosted by Ben Mankiewicz
"You’re Next (2011)" produced by Snoot Entertainment & HanWay Films

158 - Hocus Pocus (1993) & ParaNorman (2012) →

CW: Homophobia

Best of 2020 - #7 (Tied) Hocus Pocus

Read our afterthoughts for this episode here!

It’s Family Friendly Week on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey light the black flame candle, talk to ghosts, and fix all of society's problems!

The Classic Film: Hocus Pocus (1993)
"A curious youngster moves to Salem, where he struggles to fit in before awakening a trio of diabolical witches that were executed in the 17th century” (IMDb.com). Hocus Pocus is a cult classic and for a reason. Put a little Halloween joy in your life and watch with us.

The Modern Film: ParaNorman (2012)
"A misunderstood boy takes on ghosts, zombies, and grown-ups to save his town from a centuries-old curse” (IMDb.com). Don't be like seemingly everyone in 2012 and sleep on this beautifully-animated family horror movie with a heart.

Audio Sources:
"Are You Afraid of the Dark?" produced by Nickelodeon Network, et al.
"Awakening: Part 1" (Gargoyles S01E01) produced by Disney Television Animation
"Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1992) produced by Twentieth Century Fox, et al.
"Chapter Six: The Spy" (Stranger Things S02E06) produced by Netflix Studios, et al.
"Hocus Pocus" produced by Walt Disney Pictures & Touchwood Pacific Partners 1
"Judge Reinhold/10,000 Maniacs" (Saturday Night Live S13E13) produced by Broadway Video & NBC Productions
"The Mask" produced by Dark Horse Entertainment & New Line Cinema
"ParaNorman" produced by Focus Features & Laika Entertainment
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones
"Stainmaster Carpet Mommy's Little Sweetheart TV Commercial HD" via FM1156 @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvs_qGnBn1M

157 - Double Feature - Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) & The Invasion (2007) →

Best of 2020 - #3 Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

It’s a pod people double feature on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey shed all emotion and join the collective in peace!

Read our afterthoughts for this episode here!

The Second Adaptation: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
"When strange seeds drift to earth from space, mysterious pods begin to grow and invade San Francisco, California, where they replicate the residents into emotionless automatons one body at a time” (IMDb.com). Less reactionary that it's '56 predecessor and the Jack Finney novel on which it's based, the '78 version's slow boil and creeping terror are exactly as effective as the film's modern-day hype would suggest.

The Fourth Adaptation: The Invasion (2007)
"As a Washington, D.C. psychiatrist unearths the origin of an alien epidemic, she also discovers her son might be the only way it can be stopped” (IMDb.com). Take the 1978 classic, remove the character building and charm, and add some mildly effective personal tension and mindless action scenes and you'll have this fourth attempt at reinventing the wheel. The Invasion seems like it might be worth watching until it just gives up about halfway through and drowns in its own genericism.

Audio Sources:
"Alien" produced by Brandywine Productions
"Amazing Grace" performed by the Royal Scots Dragoon Guard
"The Invasion" produced by Warner Bros., et al.
"Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (1956) produced by Walter Wanger Productions
"Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (1978) produced by Solofilm
"Monster in the Closet" (Brooklyn Nine-Nine S04E06) produced by Fremulon, et al.
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones
"Pod People" (Mystery Science Theater 3000 S04E03) produced by Best Brains
"S&M Present" (Robot Chicken S01E09) produced by Stoopid Monkey, et al.
"Science Fiction/Double Feature" written by Richard O'Brien & Richard Hartley and performed by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
"Split" produced by Universal Pictures, et al.

155 - Double Feature - The Innocents (1961) & The Turning (2020) →

CW: Rape, Mental Health, Sexual Themes Involving Children

Best of 2020 - #5 The Innocents
Worst of 2020 - #7 The Turning

Read our afterthoughts for this episode here!

It’s a Turn of the Screw Double Feature on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey walk dark hallways holding candelabras and continue their love affair after their deaths!

The Classic Film: The Innocents (1961)
"A young governess for two children becomes convinced that the house and grounds are haunted” (IMDb.com). This is our first time watching what is, by all accounts, a classic, and it didn't disappoint. The Innocents, based on Henry James' The Turn of the Screw, is remarkable in its dark tone, stunning visuals, and disturbing subject matter.

The Modern Film: The Turning (2020)
"Kate Mandell takes a job as a nanny for two young orphans at an isolated Gothic mansion in the Maine countryside... When strange events start to plague Kate and the siblings, she begins to suspect that the estate's dark corridors are home to a malevolent entity” (IMDb.com). Not only does The Turning completely botch the ending when it tries to stray from the ambiguity of The Innocents, but it also seems interested in actively undermining its own opportunities to generate fear at every turn.

Audio Sources:
"The Innocents" produced by Twentieth Century Fox & Achilles
"Much Apu About Nothing" (The Simpsons S07E23) produced by Gracie Films & 20th Century Fox Television
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones
"The Turning" produced by DreamWorks, et al.

154 - Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) & Ex Machina (2014) →

Best of 2020 - #2 Terminator 2: Judgment Day

It’s Sentient Robot Week on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey perform the Turing test on a liquid-metal android assassin!

Read our afterthoughts for this episode here!  

The Classic Film: Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
"A cyborg, identical to the one who failed to kill Sarah Connor, must now protect her teenage son, John Connor, from a more advanced and powerful cyborg” (IMDb.com). It's T2! You know we're going to gush.

The Modern Film: Ex Machina (2014)
“A young programmer is selected to participate in a ground-breaking experiment in synthetic intelligence by evaluating the human qualities of a highly advanced humanoid A.I.” (IMDb.com). Much more contemplative than the action-packed Terminator 2, we actually had more to say (good and bad) about Ex Machina.

Audio Sources:
"The Beginning: Making Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace" produced by Lucasfilm Ltd.
"Ex Machina" produced by A24, et al.
"Get Down Saturday Night" written by Kevin McCord & Oliver Cheatham and performed by Oliver Cheatham
"Jurassic Park" produced by Universal Pictures & Amblin Entertainment
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones
"Porkchop Sandwiches" produced by Fenslerfilm
"Princess Bride" produced by Act III Communications, et al.
"Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode II" produced by Stoopid Monkey, et al.
"Silence of the Lambs" produced by Strong Heart/Demme Production & Orion Pictures
"Terminator 2: Judgment Day" produced by Carolco Pictures, et al.
"Tiffany on the Wild Side" (Unhappily Ever After S03E15) produced by Touchstone Television

147 - Double Feature - The Haunting (1963 & 1999) →

CW: Suicide, Homophobia

Best of 2020 - #7 (Tied) The Haunting (1963)

Read our afterthoughts for this episode here!  

It’s a Double Feature week on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey sleep on their left sides in two twin beds pushed together.

The Original: The Haunting (1963)
"Hill House has stood for about 90 years and appears haunted: its inhabitants have always met strange, tragic ends. Now Dr. John Markway has assembled a team of people who he thinks will prove whether or not the house is haunted” (IMDb.com). Based on the Shirley Jackson novel, “The Haunting of Hill House,” “The Haunting” is a surprisingly under-discussed character study that’s way better than its lack of popular notoriety might suggest.

The Remake: The Haunting (1999)
"When Eleanor, Theo, and Luke decide to take part in a sleep study at a huge mansion[,] they get more than they bargained for when Dr. Marrow tells them of the house's ghostly past” (IMDb.com). I mean. The higher they rise, the farther they fall, am I right?

Audio Sources:
"Cherish" written by Terry Kirkman and performed by The Association
"The Haunting" (1963) produced by Argyle Enterprises
"The Haunting" (1999) produced by DreamWorks & Roth-Arnold Productions
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones
"Science Fiction/Double Feature" written by Richard O'Brien & Richard Hartley and performed by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
"Split" produced by Universal Pictures, et al.
"Tune Up #1" (from Rent -- Original Broadway Cast Recording) written by Jonathan Larson and performed by Anthony Rapp & Adam Pascal

146 - Aliens (1986) & Alien: Covenant (2017) →

Best of 2020 - #1 Aliens

Read our afterthoughts for this episode here!

It’s another Alien week on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey creep deeper into the Alien Franchise with what some refer to as the best installment. Chris is not one of those people.

The Classic Film: Aliens (1986)
“Ellen Ripley is rescued by a deep salvage team after being in hypersleep for 57 years. The moon that the Nostromo visited has been colonized, but contact is lost. This time, colonial marines have impressive firepower, but will that be enough?” (IMDb.com). I mean, come on, it’s Aliens. You know what’s up.

The Modern Film: Alien: Covenant (2017)
“The crew of a colony ship, bound for a remote planet, discover an uncharted paradise with a threat beyond their imagination and must attempt a harrowing escape” (Twentieth Century Fox). With Prometheus and its place in the Alien timeline winding up a little too bizarre and esoteric for the average Alien fan, it seems Ridley Scott and Fox felt compelled to compromise and bring its sequel closer to general expectations. In doing so, they’ve managed to make a relatively good movie that’s the worst of both worlds.

Audio Sources:
"Alien: Covenant" produced by Scott Free Productions, et al.
"Aliens" produced by Twentieth Century Fox, et al.
"Blade Runner" produced by The Ladd Company, et al.
"Clerks" produced by View Askew Productions & Miramax
"It's Raining Men" written by Paul Jabara & Paul Shaffer and performed by The Weather Girls
"Mad About You" written by Paula Jean Brown, James Whelan, & Mitchel Young Evans and performed by Belinda Carlisle
"Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie" produced by Best Brains & Universal Pictures
"The Naked Now" (Star Trek: The Next Generation S01E03) produced by Paramount Television
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones
"Take Me Home, Country Roads" written by Bill Danoff, Taffy Nivert, & John Denver and performed by John Denver
"The Terminator" produced by Cinema '84, et al.
"Thank You for Smoking" produced by Room 9 Entertainment
"Tombstone" produced by Hollywood Pictures, et al.

136 w/ Eileen - Perfect Blue (1997) & Black Swan (2010) →

CW: Rape, Child Abuse, Suicide, Mental Illness

Best of 2020 - #4 Perfect Blue; #7 (Tied) Black Swan

Read our afterthoughts for this episode here!

It’s Fractured Identities Week on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey can't tell if this episode is real or not. Does Special Guest Eileen even exist?

The Classic Film: Perfect Blue (1997)
"A retired pop singer turned actress[, Mima's] sense of reality is shaken when she is stalked by an obsessed fan and seemingly a ghost of her past” (IMDb.com). Prolific Japanese writer and artist Satoshi Kon got his directorial film debut with this adaptation of Yoshikazu Takeuchi's novel, Perfect Blue: Complete Metamorphosis. He never did anything quite like it again, and even though our next entry owes a lot to it, you'll probably never see anything quite like Perfect Blue anywhere else.

The Modern Film: Black Swan (2010)
"A committed dancer struggles to maintain her sanity after winning the lead role in a production of Tchaikovsky's 'Swan Lake'” (IMDb.com). Based on a pre-existing script about something else, featuring thematic similarities and homages to other movies, and focusing on an all-time classic ballet, Black Swan manages to be wholly unique and fascinating. Intriguingly, it's more fantastical than our animated entry.

Audio Sources:
"Black Swan" produced by Fox Searchlight Pictures, et al.
"Girlfriendklok" (Metalocalypse S01E18) produced by Titmouse & Williams Street
"Perfect Blue" produced by Rex Entertainment, et al.
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones
"Split" produced by Universal Pictures, et al.
"Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace" produced by Lucasfilm
"Tune Up #1" (from Rent -- Original Broadway Cast Recording) written by Jonathan Larson and performed by Anthony Rapp & Adam Pascal

128 - Night of the Living Dead (1968) & 28 Weeks Later (2007) →

CW: Rape, Domestic Violence

Best of 2020 - #7 (Tied) Night of the Living Dead

Read our afterthoughts for this episode at https://twitter.com/PodSematary/status/1241493086502629387

It’s another Zombie Week on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey are smarter than you remember and know how to use tools!

The Classic Film: Night of the Living Dead (1968)
"A ragtag group of Pennsylvanians barricade themselves in an old farmhouse to remain safe from a bloodthirsty, flesh-eating breed of monsters who are ravaging the East Coast of the United States” (IMDb.com). This black & white classic has some rough edges, but it's better than you might expect and redefined zombies for generations to come.

The Modern Film: 28 Weeks Later (2007)
"Six months after the rage virus was inflicted on the population of Great Britain, the US Army helps to secure a small area of London for the survivors to repopulate and start again. But not everything goes according to plan” (IMDb.com). This sequel which included none of the creatives or actors from the original isn't half bad, but it fails to live up to the kinetic energy and fear of the original.

Audio Sources:
"28 Weeks Later" produced by Fox Atomic, et al.
"A Land Without Magic" (Once Upon a Time, S01E22) produced by Kitsis/Horowitz & ABC Studios
"Clue" produced by Paramount Pictures, et al
"Dec 8, 1987" (ABC News) produced by ABC News
"Halloween" produced by Compass International Pictures, et al.
"Night of the Living Dead" (1968) produced Image Ten
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones
"That Time Disney Remade Beauty and the Beast" via Lindsay Ellis @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpUx9DnQUkA