It's October again--that time of year when comfort gives way to DIScomfort, the fog rolls in, the slashers sharpen their blades, and we gleefully indulge in rewatching some of our spooky season favorites! First up, we're talking about Shaun of the Dead, an Edgar Wright/Simon Pegg collaboration and the first of the Cornetto trilogy, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. This horror comedy has a Ph.D. in zombie movie trivia, and as zombie aficionados ourselves, that puts it right up our alley! We talk about the Pegg/Wright script and its many references to Romero, Carpenter, and other classic horror. We discuss the use of foreshadowing, perfectly timed music sequences, the intersection of horror and humor, the Shaun and Ed bromance, and how a zombie apocalypse is just the type of growth event Shaun needs to rattle him out of his rut. Head on down to the Winchester and give us a listen -- pints are on us!

Have you ever had one of the those days when you just wanted to stop the world and have an adventure with your best friends? We know that we sure have! Along with special guest Jessica Sandidge we dive back in time to reminisce about the blissful freedom of high school skip days as we discuss the John Hughes classic Ferris Bueller's Day Off. We ask the important questions, like if Ferris is a good friend, how do you know when a prank has gone too far, is Ferris just Duckie from Pretty in Pink with financial privilege, and why did Jeannie get a car when Ferris only got a computer? In this episode we pack in more topics than Ferris Bueller can pack activities into a day off. Grab a drink, kick up your feet, and have a laugh with us because as Ferris Bueller said "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." Don't miss this awesome episode!

School just started, but we're already ready for a couple of skip days! First off, we're joining Riff Randell (PJ Soles) and The Ramones to take on Principal Togar (Mary Woronov) and her fascist high school administration in this cult classic midnight movie from executive producer and B-movie godfather Roger Corman. We discuss the surprisingly long and complex process of script development, director Allan Arkush's musical pedigree, high school rebellion, lots of behind-the-scenes stories, movie connections and influences, and of course, the music and on-set antics of The Ramones. Come make a black mark on your permanent record with us!

We've got a golden ticket! For the second of our duo of kids' classics, we're indulging in a sweet treat - Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory! We discuss Roald Dahl's wildly imaginative source novel, art director Harper Goff's fantastical visual interpretations of Wonka's candy factory wonderland, the unforgettable soundtrack, the real-life candy bar tie-in to the film, and the incredible cast, including the absolutely incomparable Gene Wilder, who brought heart, soul, and just the right amount of insanity to the title role. Come with me, and you'll be in a world of pure imagination!

I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore... This month, we're talking about kids' classics, and it doesn't get much more classic and comforting than The Wizard of Oz! Claire from Why the Flick podcast joins us to discuss the (occasionally dark and dangerous) history of this landmark movie, the challenges of producing a Technicolor fantasy musical for children in early Hollywood, Judy Garland's megawatt star power, the immeasurable influence of Oz on the movie landscape, and our own personal experiences with The Wizard of Oz as kids and now. Follow us down the yellow brick road and give it a listen!

For the second film in our war movies month, we're staying with WWII but heading over to the Pacific theater to discuss Terrence Malick's modern classic, The Thin Red Line. Unlike its film peer Saving Private Ryan, which came out the same year, The Thin Red Line has not always received universal acclaim, with mixed reactions from viewers and critics alike. It's a totally different type of war movie, realistic in some ways, but even more impressionistic, allegorical, symbolic, and philosophical. For these reasons, Georgia counts it as her favorite war film (and she's in good company, joined by the likes of Gene Siskel and Martin Scorsese). In this episode, we attempt to unlock the film through close character study, allegory, and examination of elemental symbolism, and we also discuss Malick's uniquely holistic approach to filmmaking, the casting that combined Hollywood veterans with unknown newcomers, the score that mixed Hans Zimmer with Melanesian choirs, and John Toll's artistic cinematography and use of natural light. Join us for a deeply philosophical exploration of the meaning of life and art!

Can a war film also be a comfort film? This month we're exploring that question. First up this week, special guest Martin Harries of Film Vs. Film Podcast joins us to discuss one of his favorite comfort picks and a perennial rewatch around the holidays with family, The Guns of Navarone. We talk about the paradox of comforting war films; Carl Foreman's script, which placed mythmaking far above historical fact; J. Lee Thompson's directing style, which balanced blockbuster action sequences with philosophical and moral quandaries; the stellar cast, featuring David Niven, Anthony Quinn, and Gregory Peck in a surprisingly morally grey role; and we make connections between The Guns of Navarone and the many films that borrowed from its formula, including The Dirty Dozen, Star Wars, the James Bond films, and Guardians of the Galaxy. Join our team of specialized film analysts and come on a mission with us!

Have you ever wanted to go back in time to right a wrong? Whether it's correcting an injustice, avoiding a mistake, or preventing an accident, all of us would love to get a second chance to make things right. In Frequency, John Sullivan (Jim Caviezel) gets to live that fantasy, when a freak solar storm causes a disturbance in earth's magnetic field that allows him to communicate with his father Frank (Dennis Quaid) thirty years in the past. Messing with time does have its consequences though, and the ripple effect of their initial change causes many other problems that Frank and John have to race to correct before their window of communication closes forever. In this episode (part of our dads defying space-time month), we talk about Toby Emmerich's screenplay, which flawlessly combines multiple genres; Gregory Hoblit's directorial approach, which grounds sci-fi/fantasy elements with real science; the end credits song by Garth Brooks that ties it all together; and our personal experiences with the film, including Georgia's essay in World Film Locations: Toronto. Come surf the radio waves with us!