Best certifiedforgotten Podcasts (2025)

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Uncertified: Beast Horror Movies of 2025 with Meagan Navarro 35:53

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5d ago35:53

35:53

Somehow, against all odds, we've made it through 2025. Maybe not unscathed, but we did it. With that in mind, it's time for Certified Forgotten to highlight some of the year's best horror films. Here to help is friend of the show and frequent guest co-host, Bloody Disgusting's Meagan Navarro. With no Matthew Monagle this week, it's up to Meagan and…

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Uncertified: Silent Night, Deadly Night (2025) 32:11

12d ago32:11

32:11

'Twas the (almost) fortnight before Christmas at Certified Forgotten, and the boys had a chat to see if the Silent Night, Deadly Night remake is rotten. [Poor attempt at poetic rhythm ends.] Mike P. Nelson's new take on a Christmas horror classic gives Billy Chapman a new purpose, and with it, a fresh take that brings both romanticism and exploitat…

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Uncertified: Five Nights at Freddy's 2 with BJ Colangelo 33:50

20d ago33:50

33:50

Hold off on the pizza party, kiddos. Freddy Fazbear might be returning to the big screen, but it's not a cause for celebration. In this Uncertified episode, Certified Forgotten co-host Matt Donato has invited back friend of the show BJ Colangelo to talk about the unfortunate state of Five Nights at Freddy's 2. The first was critically savaged, but …

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The Peanut Butter Solution with Meredith Borders 1:09:27

28d ago1:09:27

1:09:27

This (day after) Thanksgiving, we're thankful for a returning guest who is the best of all of us. Fangoria's Senior Editor Meredith Borders notches her second guest spot on Certified Forgotten to chat about an oddball Canadian gateway horror film. The Peanut Butter Solution has become a cult favorite, but only in smaller circles. Meredith joins the…

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Uncertified: Keeper 34:38

1M ago34:38

34:38

Welcome to another episode of "The Great Oz Perkins Debate" here on Certified Forgotten. Your hosts, Matt Donato and Matthew Monagle, couldn't agree on Perkins' catalog until Longlegs, and then again with The Monkey. It looked like there might finally be peace between the Matts, but then Perkins went back to "basics" for his latest film, Keeper. On…

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Black Mountain Side with Colin Le Sueur 1:09:24

1M ago1:09:24

1:09:24

Do you like your cosmic horror with a dash of folklore? Or perhaps you prefer your folk horror with a dollop of the cosmic? Either way, you're the right audience for Nick Szostakiwskyj's Black Mountain Side, a wintry horror film that is one part aliens and one part elder gods. On this week's episode of Certified Forgotten, we're joined by tabletop …

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Uncertified: Predator: Badlands 34:35

2M ago34:35

34:35

To quote Donato's Predator: Badlands review: "It's official: Dan Trachtenberg is the Yautja whisperer." Between Monagle's love of the Alien universe and Donato's incessant quoting of Predator, the Matts dedicated this week's Uncertified episode to gushing about Trachtenberg's latest Yautja adventure. Does the heavy use of digital animation hold up?…

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Out of the Dark with Jarrod Hornbeck 1:15:13

2M ago1:15:13

1:15:13

What happens when two podcasts that prioritize underseen horror movies collide? You get a crossover episode dedicated to Michael Schroeder's "frighteningly erotic thriller" Out of the Dark (1988). Certified Forgotten welcomes Puppet Masters/Castle Freaks co-host Jarrod Hornbeck, who brought his love for an underseen '80s slasher in full force. We'l…

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Uncertified: Queens of the Dead 33:29

2M ago33:29

33:29

Hot on the heels of their conversation with writer-director Tina Romero at the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival, Matt Donato and Matthew Monagle are jumping into their own conversation about Queens of the Dead. Romero's debut feature might borrow heavily from the zombie tropes created by her father, George A. Romero, but the queer horror-comedy that t…

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The Pit with Micheline Pitt-Norman & R.H. Norman (V/H/S/Halloween) 58:55

2M ago58:55

58:55

Is The Pit (1981) one of the crazier films we've covered on the podcast to date? Absolutely. You can thank filmmakers Micheline Pitt-Norman & R.H. Norman, the duo behind the runaway favorite V/H/S/Halloween segment, "Home Haunt." Micheline and R.H. graciously shed light on what it took to create their endlessly entertaining anthology segment, then …

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Butterfly Kisses with Jonathan Janz (Veil) 1:17:13

3M ago1:17:13

1:17:13

It isn't often that a guest brings us a no-doubt future classic, but that's certainly the case on this episode of Certified Forgotten. This week, Matt Donato and Matthew Monagle are joined by author Jonathan Janz (Veil, The End of the World as We Know It) to talk about Erik Kristopher Myers's Butterfly Kisses. Join us for a wide-ranging conversatio…

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Uncertified: HIM 36:27

3M ago36:27

36:27

When the first reviews for HIM were posted, Certified Forgotten's Matt Donato found himself on an island. He loved the film, but an overwhelming majority of critics took an opposing stance. Surprisingly, co-host Matthew Monagle is not one of those negative reviewers. In fact, HIM is a rare instance where both Matts can agree. Frankly, this is proba…

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Uncertified: Fantastic Fest 2025 Recap 37:21

3M ago37:21

37:21

Somehow, by the might of too many individuals, another Fantastic Fest is in the books. This year marks the festival's 20th anniversary, which both Matts were able to cover. Donato was in Austin, soaking in all the cinematic goodness, while Monagle watched screeners from afar. In this episode, the Matts run down their favorite movies from Fantastic …

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Metamorphosis with Kate Sánchez 1:12:16

3M ago1:12:16

1:12:16

After a short stint without a standard episode, Certified Forgotten is back for the full hour-long treatment. Matthew Monagle and Matt Donato are joined by Kate Sánchez, the editor-in-chief of pop culture site But Why Tho?, to talk about all things horror. In this episode, Kate reflects on how closely horror is tied to her heritage, and shares her …

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Uncertified: Hollywood's Halloween Horror Nights 2025 (ft. Dorina aka DJ Bruja) 41:56

4M ago41:56

41:56

It's finally the season for scare actors, haunted houses, and Halloween-themed adventures! Certified Forgotten's resident Los Angeleno, Matt Donato, attended the opening event of Universal's Halloween Horror Nights, along with countless other West Coast horror journalists. Since Matt Monagle did not, past guest Dorina "DJ Bruja" stepped in to run a…

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Uncertified: A Beginner's Guide To Fantastic Fest 32:53

4M ago32:53

32:53

Fantastic Fest celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, with no signs of slowing down. In this 30-minute episode, Matt Donato and Matthew Monagle break down the dos and don'ts of Fantastic Fest for both movie lovers and press. We also sneak a peek at the lineup and share a few titles we're most excited to see in 2025.…

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Uncertified: Alien: Earth 37:11

4M ago37:11

37:11

As a regular listener of Certified Forgotten, you know we always want to focus on the underseen stuff. But when life gives you a brand new Alien series from showrunner Noah Hawley? Well, you talk about that, too. In this Uncertified episode of the podcast, Matthew Monagle and Matt Donato sit down to discuss Alien: Earth: its place within the Alien …

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Shaky Shivers with Amelia Emberwing 1:03:58

4M ago1:03:58

1:03:58

Did you know that Han from the Fast & Furious movies directed a cutesy indie horror comedy? Believe it! Sung Kang's Shaky Shivers is a sugary-sweet, hokey-as-all-heck gateway horror comedy about zombies, werewolves, cults, cryptids, ice cream, and friendship. Here to defend its honor to the Matts is three-time returning guest Amelia Emberwing, who'…

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Uncertified: Weapons 36:33

5M ago36:33

36:33

Don't worry, we're still the podcast about horror movies with 10-or-less critic reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. That said, your Matts have had a helluva summer so far, and have needed these Uncertified episodes to regroup. Plus, why not get an early review of Weapons out there? Our own Matt Donato has seen the film, and he's joined by yet another very …

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Uncertified: The Return of the Matt 28:39

5M ago28:39

28:39

After several weeks of moving hell, Matthew Monagle is back on the podcast! In this bite-sized episode of Certified Forgotten, Monagle and Matt Donato catch up quickly on a month's worth of horror, including the highs (and mostly lows) of public domain slashers and the soon-to-be horror blockbuster that is Zach Cregger's Weapons. Special thank you …

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Uncertified: I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025) 39:29

5M ago39:29

39:29

In this week's episode, we're headed back to Southport for a discussion about the new I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025). Certified Forgotten's Matt Donato is joined by another guest host, the perfect person to chat about sharp hooks and silly slasher vibes. B.J. Colangelo (This Ends At Prom) brings her love of I Know What You Did Last Summer t…

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Uncertified: The Best Horror Movies of 2025 (So Far) 34:54

6M ago34:54

34:54

It's that time of year again! We've hit the mid-year point, and everyone wants to know what the best horror movies of the year are so far. Certified Forgotten's Matt Donato is in charge of this special episode, and has enlisted the help of Bloody Digsuting's Meagan Navarro because, when you can, why not bring in the best? Listen in to their 30-minu…

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Uncertified: 28 Years Later 34:08

6M ago34:08

34:08

In the words of, I unno, the youths? Danny Boyle, Alex Garland, and the 28 [Insert Unit Of Time Measurement] franchise are so back. 28 Years Later marks the return of multiple 28 Days Later talents behind the camera, as Boyle embraces risks like there's no tomorrow. The Matts have a lot to talk about, from infecteds hanging dong and tracksuit mafia…

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Uncertified: Dangerous Animals 34:00

7M ago34:00

34:00

Was it Billy Joel who once said that working too hard could give you a shark attack-ack-ack-ack-ack? Probably not! But in this episode of Certified Forgotten, you will hear Matt Monagle and Matt Donato wax poetic about their love of Sean Byrne's new film, Dangerous Animals. Byrne, the director of modern classics The Loved One and The Devil's Candy,…

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Noroi: The Curse with Paul Gandersman & Peter Hall (Man Finds Tape) 1:02:46

7M ago1:02:46

1:02:46

When your first feature is a J-horror-inspired found footage film, audiences might expect a movie like Noroi: The Curse to be a prime influence. But here's the fun truth: one-half of our guests had not even seen Koji Shiraishi's horror masterpiece until a day before this podcast recording. In this episode, writer-director duo Paul Gandersman and Pe…

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Terrified with Dorina aka "DJ Bruja" 1:17:46

7M ago1:17:46

1:17:46

Before 2023's masterfully wicked When Evil Lurks, Argentine filmmaker Demián Rugna terrified horror audiences with ... well, Terrified. We're joined on the podcast by composer, DJ, and longtime horror advocate Dorina — known to her followers as "DJ Bruja" — to discuss the film that came before Rugna's When Evil Lurks. Dorina channels her Mexican ro…

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Uncertified: Final Destination Bloodlines 32:34

7M ago32:34

32:34

You couldn't find two different breeds of horror fans than Certified Forgotten hosts Matt Donato and Matt Monagle. So, how did they end up giving Final Destination Bloodlines the same score? In this week's Uncertified episode, the Matts talk about their vastly different experiences with the Final Destination franchise and how that informed their Bl…

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Monster Man with B.J. Colangelo 1:12:54

8M ago1:12:54

1:12:54

Welcome to the 3-timers club, B.J. Colangelo! The intrepid co-host of This Ends At Prom and /Film staple returns with a 2000s horror comedy that is, for better and worse, a cultural time capsule: Monster Man. Misogyny runs rampant in this wannabe direct-to-video American Pie sequel, but to a comically exaggerated degree that shines a light on socia…

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Uncertified: The Ugly Stepsister 31:38

8M ago31:38

31:38

Think you've seen every possible version of the Cinderella story? Think again. In this episode of the Uncertified podcast series, Matt Donato and Matthew Monagle discuss Emilie Blichfeldt's The Ugly Stepsister, a mashup of regency tropes and body horror that has earned comparisons to The Substance. But whereas Coralie Fargeat's film leans into the …

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Pale Blood with Matthew Jackson 1:10:14

8M ago1:10:14

1:10:14

Direct-to-video. Erotic thriller. Nineties vampires. Wings Hauser. These are just a few phrases we could use to describe Pale Blood, V. V. Dachin Hsu and Michael W. Leighton's underground vampire movie. Some of these descriptions — or maybe even all of them — would be enough to get the average horror fan to add Pale Blood to their watchlist. But is…

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Uncertified: Sinners 36:28

8M ago36:28

36:28

It's Sinners time, baby. Ryan Coogler's 1930s vampire flick is one of the year's buzziest horror movies for a reason, but does it live up to the hype? The answer is yes, to varying degrees. Monagle loves it. Donato likes it. This episode discusses what the film does so tremendously right (musical themes) and where it might drag for some (Donato has…

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Blood Punch with Megan Norman 1:00:49

8M ago1:00:49

1:00:49

Is there anything more tantalizing than time loop horror? In this episode of Certified Forgotten, our hosts are joined by Megan Norman, Events Coordinator and host with Crypticon Seattle, to discuss the fun of being a later-in-life horror fan, the importance of regional conventions, and the heady horror-comedy of Madellaine Paxson's Blood Punch.…

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Uncertified: Ash 35:41

9M ago35:41

35:41

This week's Uncertified episode tackles Flying Lotus' new sci-fi horror freakout, Ash. In theaters now, and coming to Shudder soon enough, the multi-hyphenate creator tells a cosmic horror tale heavily influenced by genre video games. Donato's a harder sell on space-set scariness, while Monagle couldn't be more of an Alien slash Event Horizon fanbo…

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Shatter Dead with Aimee Kuge (Cannibal Mukbang) 1:08:40

9M ago1:08:40

1:08:40

You may think you've seen every flavor of zombie movie, but you'd be wrong. Aimee Kuge joins Certified Forgotten to talk about the flesh-eating fun of her new film, Cannibal Mukbang, and the bleak undead nightmare that is Scooter McCrae's Shatter Dead.By certifiedforgotten

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Uncertified: The Rule of Jenny Pen 31:44

9M ago31:44

31:44

Who rules? James Ashcroft's The Rule of Jenny Pen rules. In this episode of our Uncertified podcast series, Matt Monagle and Matt Donato discuss Shudder's latest release, where pits Geoffrey Rush against John Lithgow for retirement home supremacy. At times uncomfortable, at times unforgettable, The Rule of Jenny Pen is a fascinating mash-up of elde…

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The Battery with Michelle Swope 1:08:11

9M ago1:08:11

1:08:11

When you're an independent film made for less than $10,000, it doesn't matter if horror fans consider you one of the great zombie movies of the 21st Century: you're still well below the radar of the average moviegoer. In this episode of Certified Forgotten, journalist Michelle Swope discusses her lifelong love of horror and her particular appreciat…

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Uncertified: The Best Horror Movies Of SXSW 2025 (w/ Meagan Navarro) 34:49

10M ago34:49

34:49

In this week's episode, we're swapping an "M" for an "M" to keep the formula correct. Certified Forgotten's Matt Donato covered South by Southwest 2025 from start to finish, but Matthew Monagle did not. So, Donato called in backup to help with an entire episode dedicated to the horror films of SXSW. Please welcome back Bloody Disgusting's Meagan Na…

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Uncertified: SXSW 2025 Special 32:39

10M ago32:39

32:39

We're doing something a little different this week for Certified Forgotten! It's South by Southwest time for the Matts, as they check out the slate of cinematic offerings at Austin's biggest film festival. In honor of SXSW, Donato and Monagle have picked some of their favorite festival titles, old and upcoming. It's easy for festival films to fall …

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Uncertified: The Monkey 35:24

10M ago35:24

35:24

If you're a longtime Certified Forgotten listener, you know how co-hosts Matt Donato and Matthew Monagle feel about Oz Perkins. They've debated The Blackcoat's Daughter, reviewed Longlegs, and have made their stances known. So where does The Monkey fit into their discussion? It's the least "Oz Perkins" of any Oz Perkins movie, much to Donato's plea…

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Retribution with Elric Kane (The Dead Thing) 1:09:01

10M ago1:09:01

1:09:01

It's a privilege and a shame that we can cover a Kiyoshi Kurosawa title on the podcast. How is Lionsgate burying a Kurosawa movie that gets 0 Rotten Tomatoes reviews upon release and only 2 more over the last decade and a half? That's the conversation O.G. horror podcaster and filmmaker Elric Kane starts on this week's podcast. We talk about Kane's…

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Spoonful of Sugar with Vannah Taylor 1:05:32

11M ago1:05:32

1:05:32

No, we're not talking about Mary Poppins. This week's episode highlights an underseen Shudder original that delves into the surreal, sinister, and psychosexual. Mercedes Bryce Morgan's Spoonful of Sugar is a fairy tale that gets nasty in multiple ways, about a babysitter and family who are never what they seem. We welcome horror journalist Vannah T…

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Ghostwatch with Kate Siegel (V/H/S/Beyond) 1:00:55

11M ago1:00:55

1:00:55

In this very special episode of the Certified Forgotten podcast, Matt Monagle and Matt Donato are joined by actor and filmmaker Kate Siegel (Midnight Mass, Hush) who goes behind-the-scenes on the making of her V/H/S/Beyond segment "Stowaway" and then kicks off a fun discussion about Lesley Manning's Ghostwatch. What starts with references to The Hu…

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Uncertified: Companion 31:32

11M ago31:32

31:32

When is a spoiler not a spoiler? In Drew Hancock's Companion, one of the most important parts of the story is introduced in most of the marketing material, which begs the question as to whether you can talk about the movie without talking about... well, you know. In this episode of Certified Forgotten's Uncertified series, Matt Monagle and Matt Don…

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Uncertified: Grafted 33:18

11M ago33:18

33:18

Who's ready to talk about a movie about body horror and beauty that made headlines this week? No, the other one! In this episode of the Uncertified podcast series, Matthew Monagle and Matt Donato talk about Sasha Rainbow's Grafted, a New Zealand horror film that, like many upcoming body horror releases, will get comparisons to The Substance but act…

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Rawhead Rex with Jordan Downey (V/H/S/Beyond) 1:08:21

12M ago1:08:21

1:08:21

Who better to discuss a film like Rawhead Rex than the current king of low-budget horror? In this episode of the Certified Forgotten podcast, we're joined by Jordan Downey - co-writer and director of The Head Hunter, ThanksKilling, and the opening segment in the Critics' Choice Awards-nominated V/H/S/Beyond - to talk about his favorite Clive Barker…

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Uncertified: The Damned 33:21

12M ago33:21

33:21

A slow-burn period piece with atonal music and undertones of guilt? You heard right, it's time for the first Monagle Movie of 2025! In this episode of Uncertified, Matts Donato and Monagle discuss Thordur Palsson's The Damned, a horror film set in the Arctic circle in the 1800s. Listen now to learn why it's a perfect companion piece for films like …

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Entrance with David Dastmalchian (Late Night with the Devil) 57:45

12M ago57:45

57:45

New year, new ambitions, same Certified Forgotten. We're ringing in 2025 with an absolute dream of a guest: David Dastmalchian. We're double-dipping on this episode because podcast fans would be correct to remember we covered 2012's Entrance with Jackson Stewart. We don't see that as an issue — it's pretty rad that multiple guests would want to cha…

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Tammy and the T-Rex with Eric Goldman 1:15:53

1y ago1:15:53

1:15:53

It was only a matter of time before Tammy and the T-Rex found its way onto Certified Forgotten. Part romantic comedy, part mad scientist experiment, part gory survival-horror flick? Paul Walker's brain ends up inside a gigantic dinosaur prop that lusts after Denise Richards? Longtime entertainment journalist Eric Goldman brings us back to the 90s w…

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Uncertified: The Sacrifice Game 32:24

1y ago32:24

32:24

We're turning back the clock on Christmas Horror and chatting about Jennifer Wexler's The Sacrifice Game. Why, you ask? With these Uncertified episodes, we're giving "recent" a longer leash when we say we'll highlight recent releases. The Sacrifice Game happens to be one of Donato's favorite Christmas Horror titles released in the last few years, a…

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Drive Thru with Julieann Stipidis 1:11:15

1y ago1:11:15

1:11:15

Are you craving a greasy, sloppy bite of fast-food horror sleaze? This week's episode travels back to the bygone era of 2007, which feels like an alternate universe of nu-metal and poor behaviors. Horror journalist Julieann Stipidis brings The Matts what she describes as one of her "Holy Trinity of Bad Aughts Movies," ready to champion Horny the Cl…

Certifiedforgotten Podcasts