375: All Horror October Week 2 - Gateway Horror: Poltergeist (1982)/The Monster Squad With Guest Garrett Wieland
All Horror October rolls on! This week we tackle “gateway horror” — the movies that first lured us into the world of scares, or the ones you’d put in front of a horror-curious kid today. Guest Garrett Wieland helps unpack the just-scary-enough that defines this subgenre.
First up is Poltergeist (1982), Tobe Hooper’s haunted-house classic that terrified a generation while still managing to be PG-rated. From cursed televisions to suburban dread, the guys dig into why this film remains a rite of passage for budding horror fans. Then the conversation shifts to The Monster Squad (1987), the cult favorite that mashed together classic Universal monsters with ‘80s kid adventure vibes, creating a bridge between nostalgia and nightmare fuel.
As tradition dictates, we pop another oktoberfest — this time from Alstadt Brewing, delivering malty, fall-friendly comfort with every sip. And it's Beer and a Movie’s first taste of Zilker Brewing, adding a fresh Austin flavor to the mix.
Whether you grew up sneaking VHS tapes or you’re looking for the perfect spooky-season introduction for the next generation, this gateway horror episode offers plenty of scares, laughs, and beers to go around
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374: BONUS EPISODE: One Battle After Another With Guest Roland Alaniz
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BONUS Episode – One Battle After Another
October is usually wall-to-wall horror, but when Paul Thomas Anderson drops a new film, you make an exception. One Battle After Another is the latest from PTA, and joining us is die-hard fan (and returning guest) Roland Alaniz to help unpack the chaos, the craft, and whether this one belongs in the top tier of Anderson’s filmography.
🍺 Bonus Beer: Real Ale Brewing’s Texas Hill Country Bock – a smooth, malty throwback lager that fuels our deep-dive and pairs nicely with the film’s unrelenting confrontations.
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373: All Horror October Begins with Hammer Horror: Horror of Dracula/The Vampire Lovers with Guest Adam Beam
It’s All Horror October, and we love this time of year. The first entrée in our month-long horrorthon is a dive into Hammer Horror, the British studio that redefined gothic chills in the mid-20th century with lush sets, vivid color, and a young Christopher Lee baring his fangs. Adam Beam joins us to talk through Horror of Dracula (1958), Lee’s first outing as the Count, and The Vampire Lovers (1970), Hammer’s more sensual, blood-drenched take on the vampire myth—where David, true to form, falls head over heels for the lead lady vampire.
This month we’re pairing every fright with an Oktoberfest, starting with Yuengling’s Oktoberfest. For the second half, we switch it up with Martin House Brewing’s Saint Gria, a bloody-red beer with a bite.
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372: Him/Any Given Sunday with Guest Adam Beam
Are Ya Ready for some FOOOTBAALLLLL?!?!
Guest Adam Beam returns for a football-packed double feature. First up is Him—the new Jordan Peele–produced thriller that puts America’s favorite pastime under a very different kind of spotlight. Then we hit rewind with Oliver Stone’s late-90s fever dream, Any Given Sunday—a kitchen-sink collision of locker room politics, sweaty machismo, and eyeball-popping monologues.
To keep pace with the gridiron chaos, we’re cracking open a Real Ale Brewing TXPA and cooling off with Turning Point Brewing’s Sportz, a fruit-punch Gatorade–inspired brew that feels like halftime in a can.
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371: Spinal Tap II: The End Continues/The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years With Guest Miguel(ito)
This week, we’re diving headfirst into the loud, the proud, and the occasionally ridiculous world of rock when comedian Miguel(ito) makes his long-awaited BaaM debut!
Our main feature is Spinal Tap II: The End Continues — the long-awaited sequel that begs the question: can they recapture the lightning in a bottle from the original, or is it a comfortable revisit of our favorite band? We pair it with The Decline of Western Civilization II: The Metal Years, Penelope Spheeris’s legendary documentary that captured the teased hair, spandex dreams, and existential dread of ‘80s metal culture.
To keep our lighters raised, we’re sipping Texas Light Beer from Real Ale Brewing and Lager Fermented Cold IPA from Saint Arnold Brewing — two very different spins on easy-drinking beers for headbanging sessions.
It’s rock parody meets real-life parody, and the only thing heavier than the riffs are the laughs. 🤘
Colombia