Annabelle Comes Home 2019
The seventh or eighth Conjuring-universe film, and the reason for this episode; Dauberman's directing debut.
The Big Picture · Discussion · Interview
Why Horror Is Bigger Than Ever, Plus: Gary Dauberman on ‘Annabelle Comes Home’
June 25, 2019/ 49 min/ Sean Fennessy · Chris Ryan
Chris Ryan joins to map out the three tiers of 2019 horror, from tentpole to iTunes deep cut, before Gary Dauberman talks through directing his first Conjuring-universe entry.
32 films across 7 segments.
AI-generated This episode was transcribed and analyzed with AI models. The matches aren't perfect — expect the occasional misheard title or a link to the wrong film.
The State of Horror in 2019the tentpole, the Blumhouse tier, and the cheap stuff
Us 2019
Jordan Peele's follow-up to Get Out; both hosts saw it at South by Southwest with Universal's chairman in the room.
Get Out 2017
A Quiet Place 2018
John Krasinski's directorial debut and one of the biggest horror hits ever; last year's version of this conversation.
Escape Room 2019
The low-key big hit of the year, per Sean.
Happy Death Day 2U 2019
Pet Sematary 2019
A Paramount movie that aspired to be glossier than its budget allowed.
Brightburn 2019
Barely seen, but Sean liked its use of the superhero premise.
The Dead Don't Die 2019
A small Focus release with a stacked cast; Jim Jarmusch's zombie movie.
Doctor Sleep 2019
Mike Flanagan's Shining sequel, due later in the year.
It 2017
The unlikely box-office giant that helped set off this whole cycle.
Chris Ryan's iTunes Deep Cutshow to find good horror on VOD without spoiling it for yourself
Starfish 2018
A meditative, Terrence Malick-y post-apocalypse mystery Chris found trawling iTunes.
Head Count 2019
A Candyman-style campfire-ghost-story movie; the one Chris actually recommends without hedging.
Growing Up on Horror: Shocker and Wes Craven
Shocker 1989
Chris's touchstone for how disreputable horror felt as a teenager in Wes Craven's post-Nightmare years.
The Serpent and the Rainbow 1988
Craven's voodoo movie, better than its reputation suggested at the time.
How Much Should a Trailer Give Away?the case for going in blind
Midsommar 2019
Next week's episode subject; Ari Aster's follow-up to Hereditary, which Sean and Chris saw together.
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark 2019
Guillermo del Toro produces this anthology adaptation of the illustrated short-story collection.
Ma 2019
Sean's example of a movie whose trailer told him everything before he'd seen it.
Crawl, Zombieland, and The Lighthouse
Crawl 2019
Alexandre Aja's alligator-in-the-house movie, starring Chris Ryan favorite Barry Pepper and Kaya Scodelario.
Zombieland: Double Tap 2019
A sequel nobody needed, with the whole original cast back anyway.
The Lighthouse 2019
Robert Eggers' follow-up to The Witch; Pattinson and Dafoe, shot in high-contrast black and white.
Hereditary 2018
Sean's example of elevated horror working best when you don't go in expecting a possession movie.
It Chapter Two and the State of the Conjuring Universe
It Chapter Two 2019
The Nun 2018
Not their favorite of the Conjuring spinoffs, but still a hit.
In conversation
Gary Dauberman on
Annabelle Comes Home 2019
Dauberman's directing debut, built around the Warrens bringing the doll home to the artifact room, all in one house over one night.
Gary Dauberman on
Annabelle 2014
Gary Dauberman on
The Conjuring 2013
Home to the matchstick scene Dauberman calls one of his favorites in horror, and the effect he chased in Annabelle Comes Home.
Gary Dauberman on
It 2017
Gary Dauberman on
It Chapter Two 2019
Gary Dauberman on
Toy Story 4 2019
Dauberman's answer to the show's closing question about the last great thing he's seen.
Also mentioned raised along the way
In passing Velvet BuzzsawThe WitchIt's a Wonderful Life
Coming next week Yesterday
Not films filtered out: TV, games, ads
TV Castle RockCobra KaiSalem's Lot
Ads M&M's
Unproduced Death County