The Fear of God: A Horror Movie Podcast

We continue our series looking back at some of the most noteworthy horror movies of 2025 (#2025stillalive) by discussing the latest feature from Josh Ruben (of Werewolves Within). HEART EYES is a rather lightweight film with an ambitious goal: to make a film that is both a romantic comedy and a slasher. Although the balance is sometimes a bit off, the film impressively succeeds at being funny, charming, suspenseful, and fun. We're joined by returning guests, novelists Nick Medina and Christina Henry, to discuss what works and doesn't about this unique cocktail as well as what the film might entice us to think about in this age of trivial social media sentiments and our tendencies to romanticize dangerous things.Also featuring friend of the show Andrew Nelson in a Patron-only segment discussing STRANGER THINGS, Season 5, Episode 5, this is a fun and breezy conversation that we really hope you'll enjoy.3:28 - Upcoming works from Christina Henry and Nick Medina7:10 - Whatcha Watchin' / Readin' / Listenin' ToPatron Only Segment: STRANGER THINGS, Season 5, Episode 522:00 - HEART EYESSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We have another special interview episode for you today for something that's not directly horror-related, but definitely falls within our framework of examining what scares us to find what saves us. Recently, Nathan was invited to host an author discussion at Troubadour Booksellers in Charlotte with author and pastor Greg Jarrell, whose book OUR TRESPASSES: WHITE CHURCHES AND THE TAKING OF AMERICAN NEIGHBORHOODS paints a sobering portrait of the ways that "race, geography, policy, and religion have created haunted landscapes in Charlotte, North Carolina, and throughout the United States." The conversation was so strong, Nathan invited Jarrell to share his book with us on the show.As was observed of Jarrell's work, he "brings receipts" for a conversation that is compelling, challenging, and thought-provoking about the moral gravity of having displaced and devalued our neighbors, both systematically and ideologically. Offering substantive research and thoughtful analysis, Jarrell provides not only an insightful portrait of how we got here, but what avenues might be open to us for lasting change.We hope you'll check out Greg Jarrell's book and we hope you enjoy this conversation!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our lookback series at some of the best films of 2025 (#2025stillalive) continues this week with the sequel to Scott Derrickson's 2021 film The Black Phone. Picking up 4 years after the events of the first film, BLACK PHONE 2 tells a decisively scarier and more spiritually conscious story about Gwen and Finn making their way to a Christian camp in the mountains to confront the mysterious, haunting, lingering power of The Grabber. It's a film of disarming potency, with both a strong emotional and spiritual resonance, making it one of the strongest films of Derrickson's career.We're joined by FoG favorites Steven Beckley and Blake Collier, as well as welcoming a new guest to the show: long-time FoG community member Abby Dewsnap. Also featuring a Patron-only segment where we discuss STRANGER THINGS, Season 5, Episode 4 (with yet another first-time guest Josh Raugh), this is a hearty and heart-filled episode that we really hope you enjoy!5:09 - Two Questions with Abby DewsnapPatron Only Segment: STRANGER THINGS, Season 5, Episode 411:48 - BLACK PHONE 2See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We have another special interview episode with you this week featuring director Darren Lynn Bousman discussing his latest film, TWISTED, available right now to buy or rent on VOD. Starring Djimon Hounsou and Lauren LaVera, Twisted tells the story of a resourceful con artist (LaVera) whose con involves flipping houses they don't own and pocketing the deposits. When her latest mark brings her in contact with a respected surgeon (Hounsou), she soon discovers that he has secrets and intentions which will flip the situation back on her and her partner (Mia Healey) in ways they never could have imagined.The plot is full of surprises, reminiscent of classic pulp thrillers, and has a complex moral ambiguity at its center. Bousman sat down with Reed to discuss exploring this tale and blurring the lines (both thematically and aesthetically) in creative ways.Twisted is available as of 2/6/26 to rent or own on VOD and we hope you enjoy our conversation about it!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We continue our look back at some of the strongest and most interesting horror films of 2025 (#2025stillalive) by examining a decisively unconventional and deeply affecting horror film called THE RULE OF JENNY PEN. Starring Geoffrey Rush and John Lithgow in powerhouse performances, The Rule of Jenny Pen tells the story of an elderly judge (Rush) who, following a debilitating stroke, finds himself in a long-term care facility that is menaced by a maniacal bully (Lithgow). As his physical condition worsens and the staff become increasingly less likely to intervene, he finds every inch of his perceived power and authority stripped away from him. It is a harrowing and thought-provoking film of truly unique impact.We're joined by a host of FoG friends and Final Girl gamers: Paula Deming, Meg Oak, and Julie Ahern. Together we unpack all of the various terrors and hopes that this film has to offer, resulting in one of our heartiest and most vigorous conversations ever. Also featuring a Patron-only segment where we continue our journey through STRANGER THINGS Season 5, this is a lengthy but deeply thoughtful conversation that we really hope you enjoy.4:32 - Favorite Final Girl Stories19:53 - Recent Favorite Board Game PlaysPatron Only Segment: STRANGER THINGS, Season 5, Episode 334:42 - THE RULE OF JENNY PENSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For the cinema fan, the Oscars remain the pinnacle of awards recognition for achievement in film. Since their opening in June of 2022, The Independent Picture House in Charlotte has managed to carve out a space that includes all of the best parts of going to the movies by focusing on bringing the community together through film.We're joined this week by Claire Lechtenberg, the Director of Development and Marketing for IPH, to tell us more about what this unique and engaging cinematic space has to offer. And because IPH are hosting a major Oscars celebration on March 15th, we thought it would be fun to invite her on to talk about the 2026 slate of Academy nominees.We chat disappointments, surprises, accolades, and bewilderments. Plus, we provide you with a list of the essential films you should check out before the ceremony. This is a really fun conversation and we hope you enjoy it!2:51 - Two Questions with Claire Lechtenberg10:59 - Claire's History with IPH20:16 - Special Events at IPH27:59 - The Oscars at IPH32:23 - 2026 Oscars Nominees46:57 - Surprises and Disappointments1:00:07 - Essential Oscars ViewingSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We continue our look back at some horror films from 2025 with a film that's already been discussed a good bit on the show through interviews and Whatcha segments. Adam Cesare's book CLOWN IN A CORNFIELD first hit Reed's radar when it was published back in 2020. He had already been pitching it for years as "Scream: The Novel". Naturally, when Eli Craig (of Tucker and Dale Vs Evil fame) directed the adaptation, we had to cover it! Last year, we had the chance to sit down with both Adam Cesare and (briefly) Eli Craig to discuss the film. And this week we invite back friends of the show A J Porfirio and Evan Derrick of Van Ryder Games (creator of the smash board game hit Final Girl) to discuss it in all its spoiler glory.Also joining us is Gorey Gamer Matt Murray (who also visits Hawkins with us in a Patron-only segment about Stranger Things Season 5, Episode 2). On this hearty episode, we not only discuss all the clowns in all the cornfields, we also play a Board Game trivia contest and share the latest updates about FINAL GIRL SERIES 4, which launches on Kickstarter Feb 4.So, kick back and enjoy this lively conversation that we really hope you'll enjoy!5:14 - Final Girl Series 4 Kickstarter UpdatePatron Only Segment: STRANGER THINGS, Season 5, Episode 218:43 - Board Game Trivia!27:32 - CLOWN IN A CORNFIELDSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We have a very special conversation to share with you that, although not explicitly horror-centric, absolutely sits in the landscape of "exploring what scares us to find what saves us." In 2014, friend of the show, author, and ethicist Dr. David Gushee published CHANGING OUR MIND, a thoughtfully researched, sensitive, and bold call for the Evangelical church to rethink traditional religious teaching about LGBTQ+ inclusion. Incorporating scriptural exegesis, crucial historical context, and scientific and sociological developments, Dr. Gushee makes the compelling case for us to re-examine how we've treated, talked about, and engaged with the LGBTQ+ community as a body of faith. The work was challenging, controversial, and -- for countless congregations -- extremely helpful.Nathan Rouse first read the text shortly after its publication, which he describes as "giving his theology permission to go where his spirit was leading". It was largely the book that prompted and inspired Nathan to first invite Dr. Gushee as a guest on the show. Now, all these years later, Dr. Gushee joins Nathan to discuss the book's central interests and share the heart behind its key convictions. It's a heartfelt and thought-provoking conversation that we hope will both challenge and inspire you in equal measure.Please note, this episode contains a moment of brief, uncensored language.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We're proud to present to our first film director interview of 2026. Andrew Vogel's feature directorial debut is titled HERMAN, and it tells the story of a reclusive mountain man (the Herman of the title, portrayed wonderfully by Colin Ward) who finds himself accosted by numerous visitors one stormy night. As reality and sanity become tenuous and slippery, Herman's late-night guests force him to confront his past -- and himself.The film is intimate and thought-provoking, exploring psychological and spiritual complexities in thoughtful and challenging ways. Andrew sat down with us to discuss the film's inspirations and production, and to provide insights into its inventive approach to the subjects of memory and self-perception.Herman is a disarmingly thoughtful and unsettling film, which touches on familiar subjects in an unconventional way and asks some surprising questions about faith, grief, and redemption. We were privileged to have this time to talk with Andrew about his film. We hope you all check it out and that you enjoy this discussion!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We continue our traditional lookback at some of the best films of 2025 -- #2025stillalive -- by discussing the galvanizing sophomore feature from Barbarian's Zach Cregger: WEAPONS. Stemming from a premise reminiscent of The Twilight Zone, Weapons weaves a textured and inventive story about secrets and influences. Cregger's skills at keeping his audience on their toes (and occasionally holding their breath) make this film as entertaining as it is thought-provoking and emotionally resonant. It also features some impressive performances from Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, Austin Abrams, Alden Ehrenreich, and a truly unforgettable tour de force from Amy Madigan. We're joined by friend of the show, author and professor Brandon Grafius to help us navigate the film's many narrative and thematic twists and turns.Also featuring a Patron-only segment where we're joined by fellow NCFCA critic Lindsey Dunn to discuss STRANGER THINGS, Season 5, Episode 1, this is a hearty and thoughtful conversation that we really hope you'll enjoy.Patron Only Segment: STRANGER THINGS, Season 5, Episode 1 - The Crawl7:35 - WEAPONSSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We're kicking off our slate of episodes looking back at the best horror films of 2025 with a double-feature conversation about two films which each took relationships to a horrific level. TOGETHER, written and directed by Michael Shanks and starring real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie, explores elements of codependency and insecurities within relationships by serving up a healthy dose of body horror in a literal relational union. Meanwhile, COMPANION, written and directed by Drew Hancock and starring Sophie Thatcher and Jack Quaid, tackles issues of objectification, power dynamics, and control within relationships by filtering a thriller-vibe narrative through a distinctly technological lens.Both films tackle issues of wholeness, self-determination, autonomy, and commitment and we invited longtime FoGger and Ghoul Scout Vera Goudie to discuss all of the ways the horror in these films reflects the risks -- and sometimes the rewards -- of complicated relationship dynamics.Also featuring a Patron-only segment where the three of us briefly share our thoughts on the landmark series finale of STRANGER THINGS, this is an open and thoughtful conversation that we really hope you enjoy.Patron Only Segment: Takes on the Stranger Things Series Finale7:51 - TOGETHER + COMPANIONSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We hope you all had a wonderful holiday season, full of warmth and joy and rest. We ourselves took a bit of a hiatus the past couple of months, releasing a handful of specialty episodes, collections, and interviews.But 2026 is now upon us and with it, we are gearing up for another full year at the FoG! To dust off the cobwebs and prepare for the upcoming slate of episodes, we tagged in on New Years Day to discuss our respective holidays, share some things we've been watching, and reminisce about 2025 on the show. We also look forward to the new year and what we're looking forward to for this year's films.Next week, we start our regularly scheduled program, but until then, we hope you enjoy this off-format chat and we hope you've had a very Happy New Year.7:17 - How were your holidays?15:56 - What did you get to watch?24:41 - What were your top 3 things about FoG 2025?41:23 - What are you looking forward to in 2026?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Merry Christmas, friends and FoGgers! We're still in our off-season for regular episodes, but in keeping with recent tradition we're jumping in again to cover an adaptation of Charles Dickens' immortal classic, A Christmas Carol.This time, we're covering a decisively less traditional and straight-forward version of the story with a conversation about Bharat Nalluri's film THE MAN WHO INVENTED CHRISTMAS, based on the book by Les Standiford. The story focuses on Dickens himself (played by Dan Stevens) who, following a disappointing streak of low-selling works, hurls himself into a swift bid for success by attempting to write and publish a small book for Christmas within 6 short weeks. The film explores Dickens' various personal troubles, including tensions with his father and his peers, and the ways in which the creation of his timeless story pointed to a personal redemption and sparked a fervor for a holiday that too-long been ignored. It also deploys a creative narrative device by having the characters from A Christmas Carol blur the lines between Dickens' imagination and his experiences.Our conversation also features a brief excursion examining the classic animated short MICKEY'S CHRISTMAS CAROL and a Patron-only return of the long absent WHATCHA segment, this is a lively and heartfelt discussion about the ways the stories in our hearts can teach and guide us and how the season of Christmas can point us to so much more than a mere celebration.We hope you have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!Patron Only Segment: Whatcha Watchin' / Readin' / Listenin' To (Task, It: Welcome to Derry, The Chair Company, and Freakier Friday)6:53 - The Christmas Carol Tradition11:56 - MICKEY'S CHRISTMAS CAROL27:56 - THE MAN WHO INVENTED CHRISTMASSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As difficult as it is to believe, STRANGER THINGS is coming to an end. The show premiered just one month before The Fear of God Podcast debuted, which feels difficult to fathom for a number of reasons. Stranger Things has also directly influenced the way we cover TV media on the show, yielding to segments like #tvguideposts where we cover one episode of a show at a time.What you are about to hear is our complete coverage of Stranger Things Season 4, which consisted of a focused discussion of each episode with a host of different guests, both old and (at the time) new. We then gathered together some friends for a full discussion of the season as a whole (and to play a very fun Stranger Things Trivial Pursuit game).So, as we all prepare to bid Stranger Things farewell, acquaint yourself with how we felt about the last season. Yes, it's a lot of conversation but it is also briefer than Season 4 itself, believe it or not. Roll the dice on your favorite DND campaign, pop that Surfer Boy pizza in the oven, or just snag yourself some roller skates and a very metal electric guitar. Either way, we hope you enjoy this run up memory lane hill as we present the Complete Collection of Stranger Things Season 4 in the FoG1:00 - Episode 1, The Hellfire Club27:06 - Episode 2, Vecna's Curse56:54 - Episode 3, The Monster and the Superhero1:26:43 - Episode 4, Dear Billy1:55:26 - Episode 5, The Nina Project2:19:35 - Episode 6, The Dive2:54:09 - Episode 7, The Massacre at Hawkins Lab3:20:30 - Episode 8, Papa3:49:39 - Episode 9, The Piggyback (intros and summaries)4:00:48 - Stranger Things Trivial Pursuit Round 14:09:49 - Episode 9, The Piggyback (favorites and least favorites)4:57:55 - Stranger Things Trivial Pursuit, Conclusion5:15:33 - Stranger Things, Season 4See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We hope you're having a wonderful holiday season! While we're in our off-season as the year winds to a close, we have another special episode for you this week, courtesy of the famous Ghoul Scouts!Vera, Jess, and Jocee take over the show again this week to discuss the 1989 Winona Ryder starring satire, HEATHERS. Sharply written and tackling some heavy topics with remarkable intention, Heathers tells the story of Veronica Sawyer (Ryder) who attends Westerburg High amidst an ungodly number of cliques and an even more pervasive collection of girls named Heather. When JD (Christian Slater) comes into her life, he shakes everything up -- including stacking up an actual body count. Heathers deserves a bit of discretion given some of its potentially triggering subject matter, but it is so thoughtfully scripted and skillfully constructed that it feels astoundingly relevant even after more than 35 years.Also featuring a fun, throwback, Patron-only segment featuring an 80s teen-zine personality quiz, this is a lively and insightful conversation that we hope you enjoy!Patron Only Segment: Which Heather Are You?5:45 - HEATHERSSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Welcome to another special interview with writers and directors Peter Hall and Paul Gandersman about their new film MAN FINDS TAPE, which hits theaters and VOD on December 5th.Man Finds Tape tells a richly textured story about two siblings -- Lynn (Kelsey Pribilski), who is a documentary filmmaker and Lucas (William Magnuson), whose series of viral videos have previously stirred tremendous controversy. When shocking footage of local residents emerges, and no one can recall the events they depict, the siblings launch an investigation that will unravel their understanding of their personal histories -- and of reality itself. Man Finds Tape also threads a fascinating thematic needle by integrating a decisively religious element to the narrative in the form of Rev Endicott Carr (John Gholson) whose small local church and public access sermons might be the key to all of the mysterious occurrences in the town.Man Finds Tape is riddled with unexpected narrative surprises and remarkable thematic layers about trust, belief, perception, and control. Reed sat down with Peter and Paul to discuss their exciting debut feature. We hope you'll check it out and we hope you enjoy this conversation!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We have a special interview for you this week which arrives just in time for your holiday shopping considerations. The concept behind Restoration Games is that the team rescues fun, buzz-generating board games that have largely been lost to obscurity and brings them back in rejuvenated and modernized editions. Their bestselling UnMatched Series has generated tremendous excitement permitting characters like Daredevil or Sherlock Holmes to do battle against Dracula or King Arthur. Their upcoming release Battle Monsters already created huge excitement at Gen Con, especially for one Mr. Nathan Rouse.We got to sit down with two key staffers at Restoration Games, Lead Marketing Alchemist Beth Erikson and Meeple Mover Josh Willenbrink, to discuss the company's primary efforts in restoring once-popular games and what makes their bestselling titles so accessible and addicting. It's a fun and lively conversation that we think you're going to love.Check out all the fun at Restoration Games and we hope you enjoy this special interview!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We have a unique and special interview for your feed this week. Much like our budding relationship with local Charlotte bookstore Troubadour Booksellers, our desire to highlight those doing good work in the spaces that overlap with ours continues with a special conversation with a representative from a wonderful establishment in Charlotte called the INDEPENDENT PICTURE HOUSE.The Independent Picture House, or IPH, is a movie theater in most ways that matter, but with some significant differences from the multiplexes you might be familiar with. Nathan sat down with their Director of Education and Community Engagement, de'Angelo Dia -- who describes himself as a theopoet and mystic whose work explores culture and moral imagination through poetry, performance art, and photography. The pair of them have an invigorating discussion about the IPH, its purpose and intention, as well as broader ways of engaging culture and art and film in more intentional, thoughtful, and spiritual ways.If you're in the Charlotte area, please check out Independent Picture House and meanwhile we hope you enjoy this special conversation!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We have another special interview for you this week with another great book recommendation. This time, we hosted bestselling author Rachel Harrison to talk about her latest book, PLAY NICE. Rachel is a Bram Stoker nominated writer who has been remarkably prolific since her hit debut novel The Return landed on shelves in 2020.Her latest book, Play Nice, centers around Clio Barnes, a stylist and successful influencer with a complex past: the home she grew up in wasn't just haunted, it was possessed. When her mother passes away suddenly, she returns home to find herself navigating the tricky perspectives of her upbringing. As she confronts her own perceptions about her childhood and her family, she will be forced to come to terms with some metaphorical -- and possibly very literal -- demons.Rachel's conversation with us quickly reveals the thoughtful depth that she brings to this unconventional haunted house tale as well as her strong talents at characterization and human observation which have made her prose so captivating. Play Nice is on bookshelves now and we highly recommend you check it out. Meanwhile, enjoy our special interview!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Spooky season never ends around here and we have a special Friday interview for you today where we host author Christina Henry to discuss her latest book, THE PLACE WHERE THEY BURIED YOUR HEART. Christina is a bestselling author of horror and dark fantasy novels, many of which include sequels or original reinventions of classic children's tales.The Place Where They Buried Your Heart tells the story of a "house that doesn't belong" on an otherwise ordinary street in Chicago. When Jessie Campanelli's brother went into the house and never came out, it tore Jessie's family apart in irreparable ways and forever changed the course of her life. Now, grown and with a child of her own, Jessie senses a growing darkness spreading from the house -- a darkness that seems alive... and hungry.We sat down with Christina to discuss her richly textured novel that examines the nature of communities, the haunting power of regret, and the ways that sometimes the smallest of choices may come to define our whole future. It's available wherever books are sold and we highly recommend it. We hope you enjoy this special conversation!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.