Swine Before Pearls (The Films of Ti West? Mia Goth?)
THIS WEEK: X (2022), Pearl (2022) and MaXXXine (2024)No one typifies our mini-exploration into the horror aught-eurs that weren't more than Ti West. Annointed king of independent horror disappears for a decade, only to suddenly re-emerge to reign over a new, worse brand of independent horror. It's a story as old as time.Donate to Palestinian Medical Aid Support Optimism Vaccine on Patreon
--------
1:28:51
Charlotte Kirk, Mon Amour (The Films of Neil Marshall. No, Not Those Ones.)
THIS WEEK: The Reckoning (2020), The Lair (2022) and Duchess (2024)Have you ever found yourself rolling credits on aughts horror classic The Descent and wondering, "Whatever happened to that guy?" Would it surprise you to hear that he married a young model and spent the next five years of his career endeavoring to make her a streaming superstar? That's right. Neil Marshall is a wife guy.Donate to Palestinian Medical Aid Support Optimism Vaccine on Patreon
--------
1:22:33
Master of Indie Horror (The Films of Larry Fessenden)
THIS WEEK: Wendigo (2001), Depraved (2019), and Blackout (2023)Too hip for the horror hounds and too committed to making monster movies for the arthouse crowd. Larry Fessenden's career is defined by moments of brilliance from a one-of-a-kind filmmaker hamstrung by budget constraints and setbacks that kept him from becoming a household name. He's also the perfect example of someone willing to do what it takes to make art that he loves without compromising his vision. And damn, did you know he had a Killers of the Flower Moon cameo?Donate to Palestinian Medical Aid Support Optimism Vaccine on Patreon
--------
1:25:05
Wolf Mode
THIS WEEK: Wolfen (1981), Wolf (1994) and Wolf Man (2025)Ah, the werewolf. Perhaps the perfect vehicle for exploring the duality of man. Or in the case of this week's slate of films: urbanization, the publishing industry, and ALS.Donate to Palestinian Medical Aid Support Optimism Vaccine on Patreon
THIS WEEK: Searching (2018) and Missing (2023)Steve is back in the hosting chair, and the format has immediately turned to dust. It's a Pod Casty For Me crossover, as Jake and Ian join us to discuss screens, uncles, and I, Frankenstein. All very relevant in our quest to crack the found footage code.Donate to Palestinian Medical Aid Support Optimism Vaccine on Patreon
Optimism Vaccine’s panel of experts and idiots explore the dingy crevices between pop culture and forgotten trash in a never-ending quest to celebrate your guilty pleasures in the world of cinema and beyond.
USA