The Final Girl on 6th Ave

In this episode, we explore why we willingly scare ourselves — unpacking the neuroscience of fear, the psychology of personality and anxiety, and the surprising ways horror can function as emotional regulation and rehearsal for real-life uncertainty. From classic films like Psycho to modern social horror like Get Out, we examine how fear reflects culture, mirrors identity, and reveals what our nervous systems may be practicing when the lights go down. SOURCES/INFORMATION LeDoux, J. (1996). The Emotional Brain: The Mysterious Underpinnings of Emotional Life. New York: Simon & Schuster. Craske, M. G., Treanor, M., Conway, C. C., Zbozinek, T., & Vervliet, B. (2014). “Maximizing exposure therapy: An inhibitory learning approach.” Behaviour Research and Therapy, 58, 10–23. Reiss, S., & McNally, R. J. (1985). “The expectancy model of fear.” Nagoski, E., & Nagoski, A. (2019). Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle. Tamborini, R., & Prentice, D. A. (1990). “Emotion and moral judgment in response to horror.” Communication Research. Zillmann, D. (1996). “The psychology of suspense in dramatic exposition.” Zillmann, D. (1988). Mood Management Through Communication Choices. Zuckerman, M. (1979). Sensation Seeking: Beyond the Optimal Level of Arousal. Scrivner, C., Johnson, J. A., Kjeldgaard-Christiansen, J., & Clasen, M. (2021). “Pandemic practice: Horror fans and morbidly curious individuals are more psychologically resilient during the COVID-19 pandemic.” Personality and Individual Differences, 168. Hirsh, Jacob B., Mar, Raymond A., & Peterson, Jordan B. (2012/2016). Research on intolerance of uncertainty and anxiety. Goldstein, P. (2012). The Sounds of Fear: Music in Horror Films. Hatfield, E., Cacioppo, J. T., & Rapson, R. L. (1993). Emotional Contagion. Durkheim, E. (1912). The Elementary Forms of Religious Life. Hills, M. (2002). Fan Cultures. Jenkins, H. (1992). Textual Poachers: Television Fans and Participatory Culture. van der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score. Solomon, S., Greenberg, J., & Pyszczynski, T. (1991). “A terror management theory of social behavior.”

Don't you find the paradox that loneliness is common but isolating interesting? Yeah, me too. Listen in as I discuss 5 of my favorite examples of the human condition, including Requiem for a Dream (2000), The Death of Mr. Lazarescu (2005), and Happiness (1998).

These films don't just challenge you, they change you. Join me in questioning reality and sanity. SOURCES/INFORMATION Inland Empire: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0460829/ Salo: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073650/ The Holy Mountain: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071615/ Dancer in the Dark: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0168629/ Mirror: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072443/

In this electrifying episode, we dissect Danny Boyle’s post-apocalyptic masterwork—from its hauntingly deserted London to its jarring moral dilemmas. Rage never rests. SOURCES/INFORMATION IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0289043/ Rage: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rage_(emotion) Mad Cow Disease: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bovine_spongiform_encephalopathy#Spread_to_humans Mad Cow Disease Symptoms: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/creutzfeldt-jakob-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20371226 Ebola: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ebola Rabies: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabies Production Notes: https://cinema.com/articles/1465/28-days-later-production-notes.phtml#google_vignette Deep Focus Review: https://www.deepfocusreview.com/definitives/28-days-later/

Lately, we cannot even watch the news or go to a work conference without talking about AI. AI is being utilized everywhere, all the time, whether you know it or not. Alex Garland's 2014 film Ex Machina warns us of the evolution of AI, what it is capable of, and being careful what you wish for. ** this podcast episode was generated using an AI cloned version of my voice using ElevenLabs ** SOURCES/INFORMATION IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0470752/ Mary in a Black and White Room: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knowledge_argument The Turing Test: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turing_test What Is It Like to Be a Bat?: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What_Is_It_Like_to_Be_a_Bat%3F Hubris: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hubris

Curtis is a hardworking family man haunted by apocalyptic visions—ominous clouds, deafening thunder, and a sense that something terrible is coming. Is it a supernatural warning or the onset of mental illness? As he builds a shelter in his backyard, tension mounts within his family and his community. SOURCES/INFORMATION IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1675192/ Paranoid Schizophrenia: https://www.webmd.com/schizophrenia/schizophrenia-paranoia Catatonic Schizophrenia: http://webmd.com/schizophrenia/mental-catatonic-schizophrenia-overview Disorganized Schizophrenia: https://www.webmd.com/schizophrenia/hebephrenic-schizophrenia Director Interview Quotes: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Take_Shelter

In 1992, Benny's Video would have absolutely rocked my world. I can tell you that today, it still does. This timeless and gut-wrenching film highlights what it means to be a person in the world today of continuous and increasingly violent media. If nothing else, watch this film to learn about yourself. SOURCES/INFORMATION IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103793/ Narcissus: https://www.worldhistory.org/Narcissus/ Time-Image Discussion: https://www.reddit.com/r/askphilosophy/comments/r1z7u0/deleuze_time_image/ Supermodernity, Capital, and Narcissus: The French Connection to Michael Haneke’s Benny’s Video by Mattias Frey: https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?repid=rep1&type=pdf&doi=cb14102e47fbec4eafe9a94d2ceb5cc710d74e89 Airplane Game: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airplane_game

Wish you had gone to Sundance Film Festival this year? Never fear! I attended during the opening weekend and am here to provide you with all of the films I was able to see. Kick back, relax, and let me provide you with a Sundance 2025 recap. SOURCES/INFORMATION April (2024): https://festival.sundance.org/program/film/67531c96707ccd6b2d08815e LUZ (2025): https://festival.sundance.org/program/film/675329b368b8b7eb9bfe4842 The Ugly Stepsister (2025): https://festival.sundance.org/program/film/67532dd9707ccd17c608a2b4 Andre is an Idiot (2025): https://festival.sundance.org/program/film/675333aa68b8b73e67fe584a The Things You Kill (2025): https://festival.sundance.org/program/film/6753302768b8b73647fe4f26 Sukkwan Island (2025): https://festival.sundance.org/program/film/67532ef068b8b7b657fe4dba Predators (2025): https://festival.sundance.org/program/film/6753318d68b8b7e6f3fe531c The Thing with Feathers (2025): https://festival.sundance.org/program/film/67532523707ccdd157088fb0

Are you ready to take The Substance? I, for one, would never ever in a million years. Listen along as I review this impactful satire about the experience of aging as women. SOURCES/INFORMATION IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt17526714/ The Cut Article: https://www.thecut.com/article/review-the-substance-movie-gets-aging-wrong.html IPSOS Article: https://www.ipsos.com/en-us/news-polls/most-americans-experience-feeling-dissatisfied-with-body-looks-from-time-to-time American Society of Plastic Surgeons: https://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/briefing-papers/briefing-paper-cosmetic-surgery-tourism Priory Group: https://www.priorygroup.com/blog/the-risks-of-cosmetic-surgery-for-body-dysmorphic-disorder-patients#:~:text=Cosmetic%20surgery%20and%20BDD,another%20aspect%20of%20their%20appearance.BDD Foundation: https://bddfoundation.org/information/feelings-and-symptoms/

In this episode, I take a deep dive into Stanley Kuckbrick's controversial classic, A Clockwork Orange, exploring the controversy of free will, societal control, and violence. Whether you are a longtime fan of the film or a first time viewer, this episode will challenge and shape your perception. SOURCES/INFORMATION IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066921/ Aversion Therapy:https://www.britannica.com/science/aversion-therapy#:~:text=Aversion%20therapy%20causes%20a%20patient,therapy%20are%20electrical%20and%20chemical Aversion Therapy Effectiveness: https://www.britannica.com/science/aversion-therapy#:~:text=Aversion%20therapy%20causes%20a%20patient,therapy%20are%20electrical%20and%20chemical Oxford English Dictionary: https://www.oed.com/dictionary/clockwork-orange_n?tl=true#:~:text=Alex%20has%20been%20deprived%20of,human%20but%20is%20only%20mechanical Free Will: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_will Free Will and Moral Responsibility: https://iep.utm.edu/freewill/#:~:text=We%20most%20often%20think%20that,not%20to%20walk%20her%20dog.

LONGLEGS is a film that blends psychological tension, the paranormal, and haunting atmosphere. I explore the unique narrative structure, the themes of identity, societal presentation, and the significance of all of the white houses. SOURCES/INFORMATION Longlegs Timeline: https://www.reddit.com/r/longlegsmovie/comments/1f0gw0c/finally_made_a_timeline/ Cuckoo Birds: https://www.forestwildlife.org/where-do-cuckoos-lay-their-eggs/ Alpha_Lemur: https://www.reddit.com/r/longlegsmovie/comments/1e193ht/happy_birthday_theory/ Red Piano: https://theghostinmymachine.com/2024/05/20/encyclopaedia-of-the-impossible-the-red-piano/ Birthday Murders: https://thebirthdaymurders.net/ IMDB: https://m.imdb.com/title/tt23468450/

Roman Polanski redefined the horror genre when he put Rosemary's Baby on the map. This chilling masterpiece includes paranoia, motherhood, and manipulation. The film is still completely relevant today, standing the test of time and illustrating that women's issues were not completely resolved in the 1960s. SOURCES/INFORMATION IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063522/ Women, Monstrosity, and Horror: Gynaehorror: https://www.routledge.com/Women-Monstrosity-and-Horror-Film-Gynaehorror/Harrington/p/book/9780367208066 Guy Horror: https://www.publicbooks.org/guy-horror-rosemarys-baby-coercive-control/ Coercive Control: https://www.healthline.com/health/coercive-control#making-threats Reproductive Control: https://www.womenslaw.org/about-abuse/forms-abuse/reproductive-abuse-and-coercion