The Fear Response Podcast

What’s our favourite season? Awards! Listen to our unintended round up of awards season darlings, starting right here with Sinners. A heady mix of horror, music, romance, and history makes this film absolutely unique, and deeply affecting. Somehow managing to evoke the ideal of the what the American melting pot could be, tackling the true horrors of racism and discrimination, while also delivering a classic monster tale, auteur Ryan Coogler takes our breath away with this one. This film is chock full of career best performances, and the Academy agrees! Sinners marks the first Oscar nominations for stars Michael B. Jordan, Wunmi Mosaku, and Delroy Lindo. In fact, in a stunning departure from the norm, this horror property has received a whopping 16 Oscar noms, the most of any movie ever. Rife with artfully drawn characters and mental health themes, John and Jenna were spoiled with topics to explore. Please come along, and enjoy a lively discussion of this fantastic movie. Sensitive content warning: this podcast discusses themes of mental health and horror cinema. Topics addressed could be upsetting to some.

Welcome back listeners! It's taken far too long, but The Fear Response is finally taking on the Wes Craven classic, Scream! Much like The Craft, Scream was a sleepover classic of our generation. Scream is a smart, fun and self-aware horror film that turned the whole genre on its head in 1996. Featuring an amazing ensemble cast including Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, Skeet Ulrich, David Arquette, Matthew Lillard (screw you Tarantino), and freaking Drew Barrymore, this film was a 90s powerhouse from a master director. Join John and Jenna as they gush over this classic! Sensitive Content Warning: this podcast discusses themes of mental health and horror cinema. Topics addressed could be upsetting to some.

Hello listeners! When's the last time you watched a horror movie that is also a western? Well boy do we have the film for you. Packed with unpleasant living conditions, grisly injuries, and Kurt Russell; toss in one cute old man and you end up with a very intriguing entry in the pantheon of horror cinema. Join John and Jenna as they recount their experiences watching this violent and disturbing film. Sensitive Content Warning: this podcast discusses themes of mental health and horror cinema. Topics addressed could be upsetting to some.

Welcome listeners! Halloween 2025 is just around the corner, and what better time to discuss the John Carpenter classic, THE THING! Full to the brim with pure paranoia and stunning practical effects, The Thing is required reading for horror fans. Join John and Jenna as they gush over this 80s classic that holds up beautifully! Sensitive Content Warning: this podcast discusses themes of mental health and horror cinema. Topics addressed could be upsetting to some.

Welcome back listeners! After an unplanned hiatus the Fear Response Podcast is back in full force with a Virgin Sacrifice Episode! This time, John and Jenna are joined by their brave guest Steve as they discuss the 2005 modern classic, The deep, dark and dangerous cave would have been enough peril for an excellent horror film of its own, but the Descent offers so, SOOOO much more. Join us as we discuss this incredible film. Sensitive Content Warning: this podcast discusses themes of mental health and horror cinema. Topics addressed could be upsetting to some and include mental illness, addiction, and suicide.

Welcome back listeners! John and Jenna have missed you, and are eager to return with a Canadian Classic of sorts. Our new episode discusses David Cronenberg’s gruesome, squelchy, body horror masterpiece, The Fly. As always, we were able to find plenty of rich mental health topics to delve into. Come along with us as we wax philosophical for a while. Be afraid, be very afraid. Sensitive Content Warning: this podcast discusses themes of mental health and horror cinema. Topics addressed could be upsetting to some and include mental illness, addiction, suicide, and abortion.

Hello and MERRY CHRISTMAS horror fans! In this episode we discuss one of John and Jenna's favourite horror movies, Barbarian! This film has so many unique beats to it and they all land perfectly. It made us laugh, it scared us, it even may have made us cry. Not only that, but for this episode we are once again joined by our American cousin in horror, the great Kate Thompson! Join us for this episode as we discuss this movie and its sordid details, while laughing along the way! Sensitive content warning: this podcast discusses themes of horror media and mental health. Discussions will include topics that could be upsetting to some including mental illness, suicide, addiction, and violence.

Happy Halloween listeners! Our Halloween offering to you: two episodes in two days! The Superbowl of the spooky season is upon us and we are delivering by discussing a film with the perfect Halloween vibes! Sleepy Hollow is a Tim Burton film with so much style and attitude. This movie was a big one in our childhood and a lot of the scenes and images really stuck with us. Join us as we discuss this creepy yet comforting film. Because we love our listeners, this episode was shot live, off-the-floor, from the creepiest setting yet - St. Luscious Cemetery. Sensitive Content Warning: this podcast discusses themes of mental health and horror cinema. Topics addressed could be upsetting to some and include mental illness, violence, addiction, and suicide.

Welcome listeners! One day to Halloween! In this episode John and Jenna discuss the creepy and very satirical Canadian gem, Ginger Snaps. This movie was not one we were familiar with, and after the first depressing and bleak 10 minutes, it really charmed us! Please join us as we discuss the snarky and gloomy Fitzgerald sisters and their odd experiences with lycanthropy. In honor of the Halloween season we come to you from another spooky location with a lot of history, Hackaway Lodge. Sensitive Content Warning: this podcast discusses themes of mental health and horror cinema. Topics addressed could be upsetting to some and include mental illness, violence, addiction, and suicide.

Welcome back listeners! In this episode we discuss a film from our childhoods that seems to live in infamy! The Craft has its own mystique to it. From Fairuza Balk's haunting portrayal of Nancy, to the notorious hair loss scenes, this film is an amazing combination of watchability and terror. As a special Halloween-season treat for you, our much beloved listeners, Jenna, John and Jeeves recorded this episode on site at Spookington manor. Our apologies for the strange audio glitches and spooky interruptions found in this episode, but that's live media baby. Join us for this fun episode about this fun but messed up film! Sensitive Content Warning: this podcast discusses themes of mental health and horror cinema. Topics addressed could be upsetting to some and include mental illness, violence, addiction, and suicide.7nyjpb7q

Welcome back listeners. Join us for the second installment of our Hereditary Virgin Sacrifice discussion. Steve is still reeling from his experience with this film and who could blame him? Creepy elderly people, piano wire, seances, the second half of this movie really kicks into high gear. This film is so rich with mental health content that we could have made several more episodes, but for sake of time, 2 will just have to do! Listen in as we conclude our discussion of this great film and help Steve to process what he saw. Sensitive Content Warning: this podcast discusses themes of mental health and horror cinema. Topics addressed could be upsetting to some and include mental illness, violence, addiction, and suicide.

Hello listeners! In this episode we introduce our horror virgin to Hereditary! this one has been a long time coming. This movie has it all: family discord, emotional pain, and truly intense scares. Join us as we drag Steve, kicking and screaming, to his own personal hell. We had so much to say about this movie that we had to split it into 2 parts! Sensitive Content Warning: this podcast discusses themes of mental health and horror cinema. Topics addressed could be upsetting to some and include mental illness, violence, addiction, and suicide.

Hello listeners and welcome to a new format of episode! In these episodes Jenna and John will unpack some of their history with the genre of horror and how their love for these movies has evolved over time. Join us for this week's episode as we discuss the kids movies that scared us half to death when we were young, and still stick with us to this day!

Hello horror lovers! This episode we are discussing a film that we weren't very familiar with, but knew had a cult following. From the extremely creepy score to the grubby old film reels, this movie packs in the scares. Join us as we discuss the Ethan Hawke joint: Sinister. Sensitive content warning: this podcast focuses on themes of horror cinema and mental health. Topics discussed may be upsetting to some and include violence, mental illness. drug use, and suicide.

Welcome back horror fans! In this episode we discuss a game changing classic, The Blair Witch Project. We consider it required viewing for the horror genre. As we select movies to feature on the pod, we try to cycle between vintage and modern era movies, and The Blair Witch Project fell just below our cutoff for vintage: the year 2000. This film was a phenomenon and it was very interesting reflecting on some of the reasons that it exploded the way it did. Join us as we discuss this unique film that helped define a subgenre! Sensitive content warning: this podcast focuses on themes of horror cinema and mental health. Topics discussed may be upsetting to some and include violence, mental illness, drug use, and suicide.

It's here! The finale of our Midnight Mass series! Join us as we discuss this action packed episode featuring so many moments from our favorite characters! This series has kept us immersed in the world of Midnight Mass for quite a while and we've had such a great experience recording these episodes. We love this show! Content Warning: this podcast discusses themes of mental health and horror cinema. Topics addressed could be upsetting to some and include mental illness, violence, addiction, and suicide.

Hello horror fans! In this episode we discuss the amazing film Green Room! Punk rock, machetes and some of the most heinous villains you could even imagine. This movie is a beautifully executed cat and mouse story. It is filled with tension, peril, and some disturbing violence. Join us as we discuss Green Room and unpack some of the metal health themes it presents. Sensitive Content Warning: this podcast discusses themes of mental health and horror cinema. Topics addressed could be upsetting to some and include mental illness, violence, addiction, and suicide.

Hello listeners! Today we are recapping the penultimate episode of Midnight Mass! This episode is action packed and goes hard on the horror elements! Not to mention, we get to see a really cool team sleuth all over the island. Join us as we continue to unpack this amazing show. Sensitive content warning: this podcast focuses on themes of horror cinema and mental health. Topics discussed could be upsetting to some and may include mental health, addiction, suicide and violence.

Welcome back listeners! In this episode we continue our series on Midnight Mass. This is such an amazing episode and it maintains a focus on Riley. Join us as we gush over this incredible show and watch out for some potential tears from Jenna! Sensitive content warning: this podcast focuses on themes of horror cinema and mental health. Topics discussed could be upsetting to some and may include mental illness, suicide, addiction, and violence.

Hello listeners! Welcome back to The Fear Response Podcast. Today we are discussing an amazing movie, and better yet, we are joined by a special guest! Kate Thompson from The Nightlight Horror Movie Club helps us unpack The Cabin in the Woods. Join us as we discuss this amazing movie, made by horror fans for horror fans! Sensitive Content Warning: this podcast discusses themes of horror media and mental health. Discussions will include topics that could be upsetting to some including mental illness, suicide, addiction, and violence.