For the second of our DisComfort Films episodes for Halloween month, we’re joined by special guest and real life pal Cathleen Mortensen Bittner to discuss the one and only Stephen King adaptation directed by the man himself, Maximum Overdrive! Though this gory, darkly humorous film has never received its due from critics, all three of us consider it a masterpiece of cartoonish, near-slapstick horror. We discuss King’s director influences from Hitchcock to Romero, the hard-hitting AC/DC-dominated soundtrack, the Cold War as a backdrop to this and many other 80s films, Brat Pack star Emilio Estevez’s ex-con hero Bill Robinson, the questionably criminal background of Bubba Hendershot (Pat Hingle), the role of anxiety in horror, and the movie’s many excellent practical effects, including the very angry soda machine. Keep a close eye on your appliances and join us to explore the question, “Who made who?”

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!