Welcome, you depraved ghouls and ghost enthusiasts, to another episode of Sitting in the Dark—the podcast where we ask the truly vital horror questions, like, “Is this house cursed by restless spirits, or is it just what happens when unresolved trauma and black mold get into a knife fight?” This week, host Tommy Metz III is joined by fellow ghost provocateurs Pete Wright, Kynan Dias, and Kyle Olson to dig into haunted house horror—though not just your average “the walls are bleeding, but let’s still stay the night” tales. No, we’re talking haunted spaces—as in, Session 9, Ouija: Origin of Evil, and The Others—three films that prove the scariest thing in any building isn’t the wallpaper peeling off the walls… it’s the emotional wreckage you brought with you.

Tommy kicks things off with a haunted homage to asbestos removal (yes, really), leading a deep dive into Brad Anderson’s Session 9—the only film that will make you afraid of abandoned hospitals and David Caruso’s dramatic whisper-acting. Then it’s on to Mike Flanagan’s miraculous studio rescue, Ouija: Origin of Evil—the rare horror prequel that’s smarter than its brand deal, sharper than its title suggests, and way too good to be based on a board game. Finally, the gang closes the coffin lid on Alejandro Amenábar’s The Others, Nicole Kidman’s masterclass in weaponized repression, ghostly guilt, and why sunlight is overrated anyway.

Along the way, expect critical mass levels of hot takes on ghost psychology, asbestos-based metaphors, PG-13 trauma horror, and why the real haunted house is sometimes the one you build inside your own mind. So pull the blackout curtains tight, polish your crucifixes, and maybe call your therapist—because tonight, we’re not just sitting in the dark. We are the dark.

Film Sundries

• The List on Letterboxd
• Watch the movies discussed:
  • Session 9: Apple • Amazon • Letterboxd
  • Ouija: Origin of Evil: Apple • Amazon • Letterboxd
  • The Others: Apple • Amazon • Letterboxd

• (00:00) - Welcome to Sitting in the Dark
• (07:20) - Do you LOVE Ghost Stories
• (09:50) - Thinking about Haunted House Tales
• (16:16) - Session 9
• (24:08) - Mysterious Peanut Butter
• (25:52) - Session 9
• (35:31) - Ouija: Origin of Evil
• (55:04) - The Others

Follow the other podcasts in The Next Reel’s family of film podcasts:

• Cinema Scope: Bridging Genres, Subgenres, and Movements
• The Film Board
• Movies We Like
• The Next Reel Film Podcast

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