Dark Discussions Podcast

A weekly podcast discussing each episode of the Netflix television live action series ONE PIECE.

Stranded on a speck of land barely big enough for your own shadow, you find yourself at a lonely lighthouse that seems to breathe with its own moods—sometimes brooding, sometimes whispering, sometimes downright unsettling. But what if the creaking beams and flickering lantern light aren’t the scariest things out there? What if something older, darker, and decidedly supernatural has been waiting in the mist all along? That’s the deliciously eerie setup of Amazon’s brand new 2026 release, BENEATH THE LIGHT, a film that turns isolation into an invitation for the uncanny.At the heart of the story is Jacob, who accepts a job at this remote lighthouse with the innocent hope of reconnecting with a childhood friend. Instead, he’s greeted by strange happenings that twist his sense of reality and tug at the frayed edges of his memory. As he navigates anxiety, half‑remembered truths, and the creeping sense that the island is watching him, he unexpectedly finds romance—and an even more unexpected connection with the lighthouse’s enigmatic owner. It’s part mystery, part psychological spiral, part tender human story, all wrapped in fog and flickering lantern glow.The film springs from the mind of writer‑director John Baumgartner, brought to life by a cast that includes Zach Tinker, John Pyper‑Ferguson, and Ana Nicolle Chavez. After charming and spooking its way through the festival circuit—earning glowing praise along the way—it was scooped up by Amazon as a Prime exclusive. Now your co‑hosts dive into this freshly released gem, ready to unravel its secrets, celebrate its surprises, and share exactly what they think lurks beneath the light.

A brand new podcast on the Dark Discussions News Network talking about each episode weekly on the television series MONARCH: A LEGACY OF MONSTERS streaming on Apple+.

A found‑footage fever dream wrapped in a faux‑documentary bow, THE HEM (2025) drags viewers deep into the heart of Fort Worth, Texas—where the festivals are lively, the locals are chatty, and the abandoned churches apparently come with their own PR restrictions. What begins as a simple “talk to anyone with a pulse” documentary shoot quickly derails the moment the crew utters the wrong three words: haunted. collapsing. church. Suddenly, interviews dry up faster than a Texas creek in August, and the filmmakers find themselves chasing a story no one wants to touch.IMDb sums it up neatly: “A documentary crew investigates a haunted church on the verge of collapse with one condition: they must be out by dark.” Which, of course, is exactly the kind of condition that guarantees they will not be out by dark. The setup practically begs for shaky cameras, ominous whispers, and at least one moment where someone insists, confidently and incorrectly, that everything is fine.Written and directed by Tyler Russell and shot on location in Fort Worth, the film features Rani Alowairdi, Terri Merritt Bennett, Ryan Bijan, and a supporting cast who look convincingly terrified to be anywhere near that church. Now that it’s out on streaming, the question becomes whether this entry in the found‑footage canon brings anything fresh to the genre or simply adds another creepy church to the cinematic map. Your co‑hosts dive into the dust, dread, and documentary chaos to share their thoughts.

A brand new podcast on the Dark Discussions News Network talking about each episode weekly on the television series MONARCH: A LEGACY OF MONSTERS streaming on Apple+.

With March 2026 already in full swing, the moment feels ripe—if just a touch belated—to cast our eyes toward the cinematic horizon and take stock of what the year promises. The landscape ahead is a sprawling mix of theatrical releases, video‑on‑demand debuts, and those ever‑reliable genre offerings destined to make their first appearance on disc. Looking back, 2025 proved to be an unexpectedly strong year for horror and genre cinema, delivering a surprising number of standout titles and a higher-than-usual concentration of hidden treasures. Yet even with that momentum, 2026 seems poised to outshine its predecessor, with a slate that feels unusually rich, varied, and ambitious. Add to that the return of several acclaimed genre‑leaning television series, and the year begins to look like a feast for fans of the strange, the suspenseful, and the supernatural.As always, Dark Discussions steps forward to survey the terrain with a blend of curiosity and enthusiasm. Our annual tradition continues: sifting through the release calendar, spotlighting the heavy hitters that will dominate conversations, and shining a light on the quieter, quirkier projects that might otherwise slip beneath the radar. The big studio tentpoles and prestige horror entries naturally demand attention, but part of the thrill lies in discovering the unexpected—the films with modest profiles that may, by December, be the ones we’re still talking about. Genre cinema has a long history of producing masterpieces from the margins, and this year’s lineup suggests that lightning may strike again.In the months ahead, we’ll be tracking everything from long‑anticipated sequels to bold original visions, from festival darlings to direct‑to‑disc curiosities that could turn out to be genuine revelations. Whether you’re drawn to atmospheric slow burns, creature features, psychological thrillers, or blood‑pumping action‑horror hybrids, 2026 appears ready to deliver something worth savoring. Dark Discussions invites you to join us as we explore what’s coming, what’s promising, and what might just become essential viewing by the time the year draws to a close.

A brand new podcast on the Dark Discussions News Network talking about each episode weekly on the television series MONARCH: A LEGACY OF MONSTERS streaming on Apple+.

A weekly podcast discussing the GAME OF THRONES spinoff show on HBO Max entitled A KNIGHT OF THE SEVEN KINGDOMS.

Clowns may be the giggling darlings of birthday parties and big tops, but drop them into a horror movie and suddenly the greasepaint feels a lot less whimsical. Pennywise and Art the Clown have already proven that nothing kills childhood nostalgia faster than a toothy grin and a blood-soaked prop. Now joining this illustrious lineage of nightmare fuel is SUPER HAPPY FUN CLOWN (2026), a film whose title sounds like a Saturday‑morning cartoon but whose content absolutely does not.According to IMDb, the story follows “a battered former wunderkind” who decides that if life won’t give her a spotlight, she’ll carve one out herself—armed with an obsession for clowning, serial killers, and classic movie monsters. It’s a premise that practically begs for chaos, and the film gleefully obliges, turning self‑reinvention into a full‑blown spree of technicolor infamy.Helmed by Patrick Rea—yes, the same mind behind They Wait in the Dark—and written by Eric Winkler, the film stars Jennifer Seward as the world’s least huggable clown. She’s joined by Nicole Hall, Matt Leisy, and Deborah Madick, whose turn as a mother‑gone‑bad is unsettling enough to make you call your own mom just to check in. Your co‑hosts dive into this freshly unboxed 2026 release and share exactly what they make of its twisted circus.

A weekly podcast discussing the GAME OF THRONES spinoff show on HBO Max entitled A KNIGHT OF THE SEVEN KINGDOMS.

As we find ourselves already drifting through the heart of February 2026, the whirlwind of 2025 has slipped quietly into the rearview mirror, leaving behind a year brimming with cinematic curiosities, triumphs, and missteps. With the turning of the calendar comes the perfect moment to cast a thoughtful gaze backward and revisit the many films—both horror and genre-bending—that sought to thrill, unsettle, or simply bewilder us. Dark Discussions and its devoted co-hosts have once again gathered to sift through the shadows, assembling their annual retrospective to determine whether 2025 stood tall as a banner year for genre cinema or faltered under the weight of its own ambitions.Each co-host curated a personal selection of films worthy of recommendation, resulting in two distinct collections: one devoted to pure horror and another celebrating the broader realms of speculative fiction. From these individual offerings, the team wove together the definitive Dark Discussions lists—carefully balanced, lovingly debated, and reflective of the year’s most memorable achievements. Familiar titles such as SINNERS and FINAL DESTINATION BLOODLINES naturally claimed their place, yet the lists also shine a light on quieter gems like RED ROOMS and DROP, films that may have slipped beneath the mainstream radar but lingered in the minds of those who discovered them.But the celebration doesn’t end with the films themselves. Dark Discussions dives deeper, presenting an array of additional highlights: the most striking and disastrous scenes, the reigning scream queens, the breakout performers who emerged from the shadows, and countless other delights that color the tapestry of the year. With this comprehensive wrap-up, the podcast ties a neat bow around 2025, offering listeners not only reflection but also a treasure trove of titles to seek out, savor, and perhaps even fear.

A weekly podcast discussing the GAME OF THRONES spinoff show on HBO Max entitled A KNIGHT OF THE SEVEN KINGDOMS.

A weekly podcast discussing the Amazon Prime Fallout television series.

Faux‑documentary horror has been lurking around the genre’s basement for years, occasionally creeping upstairs to terrify critics and earn cult‑classic status. Titles like THE POUGHKEEPSIE TAPES (2007), THE TAKING OF DEBORAH LOGAN (2014), and the ever‑whispered THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT (1999) have long held the crown for “films most likely to convince your friend it’s real.” And now, shambling into the spotlight in 2025, comes a new contender with a name that sounds like a farmers’ market gone horribly wrong: STRANGE HARVEST.According to IMDB, the film follows detectives on the trail of “Mr. Shiny,” a serial killer whose return ushers in a fresh wave of grotesque, possibly cosmic crimes. Because of course—why settle for a run‑of‑the‑mill murderer when you can have one powered by eldritch forces and questionable fashion choices? The premise promises a blend of true‑crime grit and supernatural weirdness, the kind of combo that makes you wonder whether you should turn on a light or just move to a new house entirely.Written and directed by Stuart Ortiz, STRANGE HARVEST features Peter Zizzo, Terri Apple, and Andy Lauer trying their best to survive both the plot and the documentary‑style lens pointed at them. With reviews already leaning impressively positive, your co‑hosts dive into this unsettling new entry in the genre to see whether it’s a fresh crop worth gathering—or something better left unpicked.

Body horror has always been the unruly cousin at the horror family reunion—the one everyone side‑eyes but can’t stop gossiping about later. David Cronenberg practically built the house this cousin lives in, wallpapered it with viscera, and handed out the keys to generations of filmmakers who gleefully keep the tradition alive. Enter TOGETHER (2025), a film that doesn’t just dip a toe into the subgenre—it cannonballs in, using the human body as both battleground and blunt instrument.According to IMDb, the story follows Tim and Millie, a couple who decide that moving to the country will fix their relationship—because that always works out well in horror movies. Naturally, instead of fresh air and farmers’ markets, they stumble into an “unnatural force” that threatens not only their love but their very flesh. Nothing says couples therapy like eldritch corruption nibbling at the edges of your anatomy.Penned and directed by Michael Shanks, TOGETHER stars real‑life spouses Dave Franco and Alison Brie, proving that nothing tests a marriage quite like acting out supernatural bodily doom together. Damon Herriman joins the fun, rounding out a cast that critics have been applauding with gusto. With glowing reviews rolling in, your co‑hosts dive into the film’s squirm‑inducing delights—joined by award‑winning actor Dan Lench, who brings his own flair to the dissection.

A weekly podcast discussing the GAME OF THRONES spinoff show on HBO Max entitled A KNIGHT OF THE SEVEN KINGDOMS.

A weekly podcast discussing the Amazon Prime Fallout television series.

Hello, my lovelies—guess who has crawled back out of the crypt and into your earbuds? That’s right, I’ve returned to the land of podcasting to resurrect the Fishnets and Phantoms Podcast after a hiatus long enough to qualify as its own ghost story. Over a year away, wandering the shadowy realms of Real Life™, but now I’m back to unleash new episodes upon the Dark Discussions News Network once more.It’s me—podcaster Amy, your horror‑loving hostess who never met a spooky tangent she didn’t adore. I’ve dusted off the mic, lit the ceremonial black candles, and bribed the resident poltergeist to keep quiet while I record. Why? Because I’m finally ready to deliver something deliciously dreadful: a full, fear‑soaked list of the 13 best horror films of 2025.And let me tell you, 2025 was a wild year for horror. Monsters got weirder, ghosts got sassier, and filmmakers everywhere seemed determined to make sure none of us ever sleep again. I’ve sifted through the jump scares, the psychological spirals, the blood‑splattered artistry, and the “why did I watch this alone at night” regrets to bring you the cream of the creepy crop.So settle in, dim the lights, and maybe keep a blanket nearby—just in case something decides to tap you on the shoulder while you listen. The countdown is coming, and trust me, these 13 films are worth every shiver.

Pets in horror movies are always a minefield. Audiences will happily watch a dozen hapless humans get yeeted into the void, but the second a golden retriever whimpers ominously, everyone’s suddenly a film critic with strong moral objections. Enter GOOD BOY (2025), a movie that clearly looked at that emotional weak spot and said, “Yes… let’s poke it.”But instead of serving up another tragic pet casualty, this film flips the script. The star isn’t the doomed sidekick—it’s the dog himself. We experience the creeping dread through the eyes of Indy, a very good boy trying to make sense of the weird, possibly supernatural nonsense infesting his owner’s isolated old house. Think The Conjuring, but with more sniffing and a better protagonist.IMDB sums it up like this:“A loyal dog moves to a rural family home with his owner, only to discover supernatural forces lurking in the shadows. As dark entities threaten his human companion, the brave pup must fight to protect the one he loves most.”Directed by Ben Leonberg and co-written by Alex Cannon, the film proudly features Indy the dog as its leading actor—finally, a performer who doesn’t need CGI to convey raw emotion. Shane Jensen and Arielle Friedman round out the human cast, presumably doing their best to keep up with their four‑legged co-star.Your co-hosts dive into this canine-centric creep-fest and share their thoughts on whether GOOD BOY earns a treat… or needs to go back outside.

A weekly podcast discussing the Amazon Prime Fallout television series.