Popcorn and Nightmares

About Popcorn and Nightmares

Grab the popcorn, embrace the nightmares... welcome to Popcorn & Nightmares! Join a father-and-daughter duo as we review horror movies from classic slashers to the latest theatrical releases. We break down the scares, stories, characters, and behind-the-scenes facts while sharing our honest opinions and ratings. Horror is our main focus, but we'll occasionally sprinkle in reviews of other genres. If you love movies and things that go bump in the night, this is the podcast for you! 🍿🎬👻

Publisher

Chisum and Arya

Category

tv & film

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

21 Jun 2026

Latest episode

10 Aug 2026

Latest episodes

8 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   10 Aug 2026

   Episode 8 — SAW (2004): I Want to Play a Game

   EPISODE 8: SAW (2004) | Popcorn & Nightmares “I want to play a game.” This week on Popcorn & Nightmares, we’re stepping into the twisted world of SAW — the low-budget horror movie that launched one of the biggest franchises in modern horror. Directed by James Wan and written by Leigh Whannell, SAW traps Adam and Dr. Lawrence Gordon inside a filthy abandoned bathroom with a dead body between them, two hacksaws, and a terrifying choice. Somewhere behind it all is Jigsaw — a killer who doesn’t think of himself as a murderer, but as someone testing whether his victims truly appreciate being alive. In Episode 8, Chisum and Arya break down: • The complete story and that legendary ending • How James Wan and Leigh Whannell created SAW • The movie’s roughly $1–1.2 million production budget • Its massive box-office success • Jigsaw and the philosophy behind his games • The Reverse Bear Trap and SAW’s most memorable moments • Behind-the-scenes stories and production secrets • Casting and the actors who brought the characters to life • What worked — and what didn’t • Plot holes and questionable character decisions • Hidden details, clues and foreshadowing • How the movie pulled off its biggest twists • The legacy SAW left on the horror genre • And our final Nightmare Rating SAW was filmed on a tiny budget and became a worldwide hit, ultimately launching a horror franchise that has continued for more than two decades. Would you have survived Jigsaw’s game? Grab the popcorn. Embrace the nightmares. Subscribe for more horror movie reviews, behind-the-scenes stories, production breakdowns, movie trivia and nightmare-fueled deep dives.

2. 

   3 Aug 2026

   Episode 7 — Smile 2 (2024): The Smile Is Back

   Episode 7: Smile 2 (2024) The smile is back... and it's deadlier than ever. In Episode 7 of Popcorn & Nightmares, we dive into Parker Finn's Smile 2, the psychological horror sequel that raises the stakes with bigger scares, disturbing imagery, and an unforgettable performance from Naomi Scott as pop superstar Skye Riley. As the terrifying curse returns, we break down the film's haunting story, shocking twists, hidden details, and jaw-dropping ending. Join us as we discuss what worked, what didn't, our favorite scares, behind-the-scenes production stories, practical effects, performances, easter eggs, and the future of the Smile franchise. Was Smile 2 a worthy successor, or did it fail to live up to the original? Grab your popcorn, embrace the nightmares, and smile... if you dare.

3. 

   26 Jul 2026

   Episode 6 — Heretic (2024): Question Everything You Believe

   EPISODE 6: HERETIC (2024) | Popcorn & Nightmares “Question everything.” This week on Popcorn & Nightmares, we’re entering the home of Mr. Reed in HERETIC — a psychological horror film where belief, doubt, manipulation, and survival collide. Written and directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, HERETIC follows Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton, two young Mormon missionaries who arrive at the secluded home of the charming and seemingly harmless Mr. Reed. What begins as a conversation about religion quickly turns into a carefully constructed nightmare as the women realize leaving his house may be far more difficult than entering it. In Episode 6, Chisum and Arya break down: • The complete story and ending • Sister Barnes and Sister Paxton’s terrifying visit to Mr. Reed • Hugh Grant’s transformation into one of horror’s most unsettling villains • Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East’s performances • How Scott Beck and Bryan Woods developed HERETIC • The movie’s roughly $10 million production budget • Its worldwide box-office performance • Mr. Reed’s theories about religion, belief, and control • The Monopoly, Radiohead, and Lana Del Rey comparisons • The two doors — Belief and Disbelief • What Mr. Reed is really trying to prove • The Prophet and what is actually happening inside the house • The movie’s biggest twists and most disturbing moments • Behind-the-scenes stories and production secrets • Casting and how the actors prepared for their roles • What worked — and what didn’t • Plot holes and questionable character decisions • Hidden details, clues, symbolism, and foreshadowing • The meaning of the butterfly • The ambiguous final moments and what the ending could mean • How HERETIC uses conversation and psychological manipulation instead of traditional horror • And our final Nightmare Rating HERETIC takes a different approach to horror, using long conversations, uncomfortable questions, and psychological manipulation to build tension before revealing the nightmare hidden beneath Mr. Reed’s house. Hugh Grant delivers one of the most unusual performances of his career, while Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East turn what begins as a simple missionary visit into a fight for survival. If you were standing in front of Mr. Reed’s two doors, which would you choose — Belief or Disbelief? And how far would you go to escape his house? Grab the popcorn. Embrace the nightmares. Subscribe for more horror movie reviews, behind-the-scenes stories, production breakdowns, movie trivia and nightmare-fueled deep dives.

4. 

   19 Jul 2026

   Episode 5 — The Black Phone (2021): The Dead Are Calling

   EPISODE 5: THE BLACK PHONE (2021) | Popcorn & Nightmares “Would you like to see a magic trick?” This week on Popcorn & Nightmares, we’re heading to a quiet Denver suburb where children are disappearing and a disconnected black phone might be the only way out — THE BLACK PHONE. Directed by Scott Derrickson and based on the short story by Joe Hill, THE BLACK PHONE follows 13-year-old Finney Blake after he is kidnapped by a masked killer known as The Grabber and locked inside a soundproof basement. With seemingly no way to escape, a disconnected phone on the wall suddenly begins to ring. On the other end are The Grabber’s previous victims — and they may be Finney’s only chance of surviving. In Episode 5, Chisum and Arya break down: • The complete story and ending • Finney Blake’s kidnapping and fight for survival • The Grabber and the mystery surrounding his terrifying masks • Ethan Hawke’s transformation into The Grabber • Mason Thames and Madeleine McGraw as Finney and Gwen • Gwen’s supernatural dreams and their connection to the missing children • Joe Hill’s original short story and how it became THE BLACK PHONE • Scott Derrickson’s personal connection to the story • The movie’s roughly $16–18 million production budget • Its impressive worldwide box-office success • Tom Savini and the creation of The Grabber’s masks • The meaning behind the different masks • The mysterious black phone and why Finney can hear the dead • The Grabber’s disturbing “Naughty Boy” game • The previous victims and how each helps Finney escape • The movie’s biggest scares, funniest moments, and most disturbing scenes • Behind-the-scenes stories and production secrets • Casting and the actors who brought the characters to life • What worked — and what didn’t • Plot holes and questionable character decisions • Hidden details, clues, Easter eggs, and foreshadowing • How the movie sets up Finney’s final confrontation with The Grabber • The legacy of THE BLACK PHONE and the world it created • And our final Nightmare Rating THE BLACK PHONE combines supernatural horror with a terrifying kidnapping story, but at its heart, it’s about Finney learning to fight back. With Ethan Hawke delivering one of his most unsettling performances and the voices of The Grabber’s previous victims guiding Finney toward freedom, the movie turned a simple basement and a disconnected telephone into something genuinely terrifying. If you were trapped in The Grabber’s basement and the black phone started ringing… would you answer it? And could you put all the clues together before The Grabber came downstairs? Grab the popcorn. Embrace the nightmares. Subscribe for more horror movie reviews, behind-the-scenes stories, production breakdowns, movie trivia and nightmare-fueled deep dives.

5. 

   12 Jul 2026

   Episode 4 — Disturbia (2007): What If Your Neighbor Is a Killer?

   EPISODE 4: DISTURBIA (2007) | Popcorn & Nightmares (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1333-popcorn-and-nightmares-337728660/) “Every killer lives next door to someone.” This week on Popcorn & Nightmares, we’re stuck at home with nothing but a pair of binoculars, suspicious neighbors, and way too much free time — DISTURBIA. Directed by D.J. Caruso and written by Christopher Landon and Carl Ellsworth, DISTURBIA follows Kale Brecht, a teenager sentenced to house arrest after an incident at school. With an ankle monitor keeping him trapped at home, Kale begins watching his neighbors to pass the time. But when he starts noticing disturbing behavior from the man next door, Kale becomes convinced that his neighbor, Robert Turner, might actually be a serial killer. In Episode 4, Chisum and Arya break down: • The complete story and ending • Kale’s house arrest and how his obsession with the neighbors begins • Shia LaBeouf’s performance as Kale Brecht • David Morse as the terrifyingly calm Robert Turner • Sarah Roemer as Ashley and Aaron Yoo as Ronnie • How DISTURBIA was developed • D.J. Caruso’s approach to directing the movie • The movie’s roughly $20 million production budget • Its impressive box-office performance • The similarities between DISTURBIA and Alfred Hitchcock’s REAR WINDOW • Kale, Ashley, and Ronnie’s investigation of Turner • The infamous binocular scenes and neighborhood surveillance • The garage and the evidence that changes everything • Turner’s creepy interactions with Kale and his family • The movie’s biggest scares and most suspenseful moments • The funniest moments between Kale, Ronnie, and Ashley • Behind-the-scenes stories and production secrets • Filming locations and how Kale’s neighborhood was created • Casting and the actors who brought the characters to life • What worked — and what didn’t • Plot holes and questionable character decisions • Hidden details, clues, Easter eggs, and foreshadowing • How the movie builds tension without relying on a traditional masked killer • The final confrontation between Kale and Turner • How DISTURBIA holds up nearly two decades later • And our final Nightmare Rating DISTURBIA mixes teenage drama, mystery, comedy, and psychological thriller elements into a modern spin on the classic “someone is watching” story. Shia LaBeouf leads a movie that starts with teenage boredom and neighborhood spying before turning into a deadly game between Kale and the man living just across the property line. If you thought your neighbor was a serial killer, would you investigate? Or would you close the blinds and mind your own business? Grab the popcorn. Embrace the nightmares. Subscribe for more horror movie reviews, behind-the-scenes stories, production breakdowns, movie trivia and nightmare-fueled deep dives.

6. 

   5 Jul 2026

   Episode 3 — Hokum (2026): Something Wicked Is Waiting

   EPISODE 3: HOKUM (2026) | Popcorn & Nightmares “Some stories should stay buried.” This week on Popcorn & Nightmares, we’re traveling to the Irish countryside for HOKUM — a supernatural folk-horror nightmare where old legends, isolation, and something lurking in the woods begin to blur the line between folklore and reality. Written and directed by Damian McCarthy, HOKUM follows horror novelist Ohm Bauman, who travels to a remote Irish inn near the place where his parents died decades earlier. Hoping the isolation will help him work on his latest book, Ohm instead becomes drawn into the disturbing legends surrounding the area — including stories of a mysterious witch said to haunt the nearby woods. In Episode 3, Chisum and Arya break down: • The complete story and ending • Ohm Bauman’s arrival in Ireland • The mystery surrounding the deaths of his parents • The isolated inn and the secrets surrounding it • The legend of the witch in the woods • The movie’s strange supernatural mythology • Damian McCarthy’s inspiration for HOKUM • How the movie uses Irish folklore and atmosphere to build its horror • Adam Scott’s performance as Ohm Bauman • The supporting cast and characters surrounding the mystery • The movie’s production and filming locations • Its creepy practical effects and unsettling imagery • The mysterious rabbit and what it could mean • The movie’s biggest scares and strangest moments • Behind-the-scenes stories and production secrets • Casting and how the actors brought the characters to life • What worked — and what didn’t • Plot holes and questionable character decisions • Hidden details, clues, symbolism, and foreshadowing • What was real — and what may have been supernatural • The meaning behind some of the movie’s biggest mysteries • How HOKUM fits into the modern folk-horror genre • And our final Nightmare Rating HOKUM takes the isolation of the Irish countryside and mixes it with folklore, grief, mystery, and supernatural horror. With Adam Scott at the center of the nightmare, the movie asks whether the terrifying stories surrounding Ohm are nothing more than local superstition — or warnings he should have listened to from the beginning. Would you spend the night alone at a remote Irish inn surrounded by stories of a witch in the woods? And if you heard something outside your window in the middle of the night… would you go looking? Grab the popcorn. Embrace the nightmares. Subscribe for more horror movie reviews, behind-the-scenes stories, production breakdowns, movie trivia and nightmare-fueled deep dives.

7. 

   28 Jun 2026

   Episode 2 — IT (2017): We All Float Down Here

   EPISODE 2: IT (2017) | Popcorn & Nightmares “You’ll float too.” This week on Popcorn & Nightmares, we’re heading to Derry, Maine, where children are disappearing, red balloons are appearing, and something terrifying is waiting beneath the streets — IT. Directed by Andy Muschietti and based on Stephen King’s legendary novel, IT follows seven kids known as the Losers’ Club as they discover that the disappearances haunting their town are connected to an ancient evil capable of taking the form of their greatest fears. And its favorite face is Pennywise the Dancing Clown. In Episode 2, Chisum and Arya break down: • The complete story and ending • Georgie’s unforgettable encounter with Pennywise • Bill Denbrough and his search for his missing brother • The formation of the Losers’ Club • Bill, Beverly, Richie, Eddie, Ben, Mike, and Stanley • Pennywise and the mythology behind IT • Why Pennywise returns every 27 years • Stephen King’s original novel and the journey to the 2017 adaptation • Andy Muschietti’s approach to bringing Derry to the screen • Bill Skarsgård’s terrifying transformation into Pennywise • How the young cast created the chemistry of the Losers’ Club • The movie’s roughly $35 million production budget • Its massive worldwide box-office success • The Neibolt House and some of the movie’s biggest scares • Pennywise’s most terrifying transformations • The movie’s funniest moments and Richie’s unforgettable one-liners • Behind-the-scenes stories and production secrets • Casting changes and actors who were considered for major roles • Practical effects, makeup, CGI, and the creation of Pennywise • What worked — and what didn’t • Plot holes and questionable character decisions • Hidden details, Stephen King references, Easter eggs, and foreshadowing • The final battle against Pennywise • How IT became one of the biggest horror movies of all time • And our final Nightmare Rating IT became a horror phenomenon, combining supernatural terror with a coming-of-age story about friendship, fear, and childhood trauma. Bill Skarsgård reinvented Pennywise for a new generation, while the Losers’ Club gave audiences a group of characters worth rooting for as they faced something far more terrifying than a killer clown. Would you follow Pennywise into the sewers to save your friends? And if IT could become your greatest fear… what would you see? Grab the popcorn. Embrace the nightmares. Subscribe for more horror movie reviews, behind-the-scenes stories, production breakdowns, movie trivia and nightmare-fueled deep dives. #IT #IT2017 #Pennywise #StephenKing #BillSkarsgard #AndyMuschietti #LosersClub #HorrorMovies #HorrorPodcast #SupernaturalHorror #MovieReview #ScaryMovies #HorrorFans #StephenKingMovies #PopcornAndNightmares

8. 

   21 Jun 2026

   Episode 1 — Scream (1996): The Movie That Saved the Slasher

   EPISODE 1: SCREAM (1996) | Popcorn & Nightmares “What’s your favorite scary movie?” This week on Popcorn & Nightmares, we’re heading to Woodsboro to revisit SCREAM — the movie that helped revive the slasher genre and introduced the world to Ghostface. Directed by Wes Craven and written by Kevin Williamson, SCREAM follows Sidney Prescott, a high school student still dealing with the murder of her mother when a masked killer begins terrorizing Woodsboro. But this isn’t your typical slasher. The killer knows the rules of horror movies, the victims know the clichés, and everyone is a suspect. In Episode 1, Chisum and Arya break down: • The complete story and Ghostface reveal • That legendary opening scene with Drew Barrymore • How Kevin Williamson came up with the idea for SCREAM • How Wes Craven became involved with the movie • The movie’s roughly $14–15 million production budget • Its incredible box-office success • Sidney Prescott and her journey through the movie • Billy Loomis and Stu Macher’s plan and motivations • Randy Meeks and the famous rules for surviving a horror movie • Ghostface and the creation of the iconic mask • The movie’s best kills, scares, and funniest moments • Behind-the-scenes stories and production secrets • Casting and the actors who almost played some of the movie’s biggest characters • What worked — and what didn’t • Plot holes and questionable character decisions • Hidden details, clues, Easter eggs, and foreshadowing • How the movie pulled off its biggest twists • The impact SCREAM had on the slasher genre • And our final Nightmare Rating SCREAM became one of the defining horror movies of the 1990s, combining slasher horror, mystery, comedy, and self-aware commentary while helping introduce an entirely new generation to the genre. Could you survive the rules of a horror movie? Grab the popcorn. Embrace the nightmares. Subscribe for more horror movie reviews, behind-the-scenes stories, production breakdowns, movie trivia and nightmare-fueled deep dives.

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Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

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