Episode 13: Creeping In (BONUS)

Spooky Season is starting to make its way around, and I couldn’t resist talking about it. In this BONUS episode, I share what I love about scary movies — the tone, the creativity, and the way the genre continues to evolve.

This is a laid‑back dive into what makes horror so fun to revisit each year, from the classics that shaped the genre to the new stories that keep it fresh and entertaining!

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:13

What is going on, everybody? Welcome back to another episode of the Daydreamers Podcast. I'm your host, Esteban. And if you're new here, as always, welcome, happy to have you. Uh let me know if somebody uh suggested this podcast, brought you over, or you're a complete stranger and uh you just came across it. Still happy to have you either way. Um as always, I'd like to disclaim this is uh by no means any sort of uh professional uh opinion here. We're here to just talk all things motivation and talk all things entertainment. I'm a big lover of film, television, music, you name it. Um, and just kind of how it reflects some of the real stuff that we all got going on and and how we can learn things, grow from uh and even heal from uh watching off arms of entertainment and and taking it all in. So um also I gotta address the uh the the fun elephant in the room, which is this we're we're finally becoming a video podcast here. So uh it's really good to be able to put um myself in a position to be more engaged with all of you, could see my face, um, and I can somewhat make contact with all of you as well. Um, but either way, very excited to be able to grow this with all of you, all of you who have been listening and have been tuning into all the episodes. Also, um, I've mentioned this before, so I gotta uh put this out here, you know, as a little teaser that I am gonna have my first guest on pretty soon. So I'm gonna have somebody sitting right next to me talking it up. Um, in this case, my brother, uh, my brother-in-law, uh, he's really my brother in a way, um, Daniel Lembry. We're gonna be talking all things uh Spider-Man, even our relationship, how we got to know each other. Um, him and my sister have been together for some time now, so we've gotten to really have a really strong relationship and just talk some fun shit too. That's what we're here to do. So um really excited for that. That'll be coming out in a couple weeks, especially in anticipation of Spider-Man Brand New Day, the newest installment of the Tom Holland Spider-Man franchise. We're really excited, we're doing a little double date. So it's gonna be myself, my girlfriend, and then of course my sister and my brother-in-law. So it's gonna be a really good time, and we're gonna be just, you know, talking all things Spider-Man. We both love um all things Marvel too. So it'll be a good time. Uh also I have to mention this that um, you know, last episode we had just recorded to uh, you know, going into uh 4th of July weekend, and so now that 4th of July is gone and out the way. For those of you who are spooky season fans, you know it's officially spooky season. I don't make the rules, it is what it is. And if you think if you think I'm lying, just I mean it just to kind of put in perspective for those of you who are just listening. I just brought out I have a little uh countdown. So as of the recording of this podcast, uh it is 113 days until Halloween. So um for any of you who are Christmas fans, hey, Christmas has this place, but guess what? You gotta get to Halloween first. Again, I I refuse to let anyone pretend like Halloween is not uh the priority after the summer is over. So uh I've mentioned this on the podcast before. I'm a big spooky season guy. I'm also a huge horror movie fan. I became that especially over, I think like a lot of us, we uh got we all kind of had a lot of time to spare during the pandemic. So I really got into watching a lot of different types of horror films, um, you know, uh, you know, big mainstream, smaller, more independent films, and then kind of anything in between. And even some of the cult classics, you know, like there were some of the older horror movies that I hadn't gotten a chance to get into um, you know, when I was younger, but still had my share of you know getting into some of those. So I mean, even as a kid, I remember um kind of the first introduction I had to scary movies was um my my uncle, uh my my tio, my tío Pablo, he um we we used to live in a duplex. My my parents and I and my sister, we lived in the back house and then in the front house. Um, my my uncle lived there. And uh we would have sleepovers all the time. I would I would go over there, he'd watch us to oh my parents were out or whatever, and it was a really fun time because sometimes if it was just me and him, he would always put on all kinds of movies, and I think that's one of the reasons why I got into movies too. Like me and my dad could always sit down and watch a movie like from beginning to end. I always always liked that um growing up, but also going over to my uncle's house and and and him always putting on movies. I remember like he would always especially play like some of the action scenes, like the iconic action scenes in movies, like um the one of the older Hulk movies with Eric Bana, the scene where he fights like the Hulked up dogs, like that was a really iconic scene we would watch. Um Matrix Reloaded, so or like any of the Matrix movies, really, like some of those action sequences were really dope. Um, for Matrix Reloaded the scene on the freeway uh with the twins, the ghost twins, that was a really dope thing. But one of the things he would also play was he would put on some scary movies, like he had he even had a Michael Myers like jumpsuit that he would terrify my sister with when we were younger. Um but he had a the like full-on mask and everything, and he would just sometimes go to his room, like change into it, and then just randomly walk out in it. Um but yeah, he was a big horror fan as well. And um I remember I watched I want to say the original Child's Play, the original Chucky movie at his house for the first time. And I remember it terrified me because I I think I've talked about it on the show before, but like Toy Story was my favorite movie as a kid. That was the first movie I ever remember watching, and it, you know, so this concept of like, oh yeah, I would love it if my toys came to life too. And then I watched Child's Play, and I felt a little different about it, and it was kind of like I remember there was a there was times when I was a kid that I was like I would almost make sure that I put all my toys away in a box, so I made sure like I wasn't kind of staring at one in the middle of the night and just kind of like looking at it sideways like it was gonna get up. Um, but yeah, so that was that was always fun. But I there there was all kinds of like even um some sci-fi horror movies, so like the alien franchise, the predator franchise. Like I watched some of those movies, even if I wasn't necessarily supposed to. Um, my mom makes me laugh. She was always like, you know, why why did he why was he doing that? Like, I don't think she loved the idea that we were watching this, but nonetheless, hey, I what it is what it is now, and I I definitely have no regrets about it. Um but yeah, good good times, good memories. And so now, like, you know, I get to watch some of those movies again and and and and revisit them. Like, it's a tradition that I know for myself the last few years. Like, of course, I watched the original Michael Myers Halloween movie on Halloween, uh, no matter what I'm doing, even if it's first thing in the morning, like I it's a tradition for me to watch it for sure. Um and and just to even watch some of the, you know, obviously some of the new movies that that have come out over the years, like every year there's at least a couple of horror movies, like Obsession being one of them. Um, you know, and and and I and you know, so we get to catch up on some of that stuff. So now with that said, um, I have to break this down a little bit because, you know, like I said, we just jumped into spooky season now, and uh unexpectedly, it wasn't necessarily a plan as far as the timing goes, but uh my girlfriend and I have been wanting to have a little movie date. I've been saying for a while now, like I want to go to the movies more, like I miss going to the movies. Uh, which by the way, got that AMC A-list uh membership again, so I'm so happy I have that. Um watch four movies a week in any format. By the way, AMC doesn't sponsor the show whatsoever. I'm just saying it's a great thing. I had it before and I'm glad to have it back because now it's just gonna be a perk to be able to go to the movies a lot. Anyways, uh we were like, yeah, let's let's go watch a movie, and then we realized, well, we still haven't seen Obsession. That's one of the movies we want to watch, and they're still showing it at our local theater. So we're like, yeah, fuck it, let's do it. Let's go watch it. So we did. And uh at the time that I'm recording this, uh, we literally just came back a few minutes ago from watching it. And let me tell you, there's it's been a while since I've watched the movie, and it truly terrified me. And I'm just like, what the fuck is going on? Like, I man, I mean, I loved it. In in a weird way, I did love the way this movie was made. And again, like there's so many cool things about this movie. Just just you know, people have been talking about the fact that it was such a like a low budget movie. It was made for $750,000. I I had to look it up because I I couldn't remember exactly how much. $750,000, and it's already a gross again from today's today's date is the July 9th. The movie came out in uh it came out two months ago nearly in May. It's made over $400 million, which just to give in perspective, Sinners came out last year as one of the biggest successful films of the year. Oscar nominations, Oscar wins, all that. It didn't gross that much money. So not only did this director, Curry, Curry Barker, not only did this guy take this to the bank, but I mean, it just goes to show that like a creative vision and a creative story really goes a long way. And it doesn't take hundreds of millions of dollars to do it. And and that's also why I kind of like the horror genre of filmmaking, is because I feel like it makes you really like if you want to really go somewhere with a story or make a fun new movie, like you kind of have to really dig deep and make it something of your own or or make it original to a degree. And it's why I think a lot of these short films now are becoming successful, is because it's the idea that like they're more raw and edgy for sure, but they're also kind of like ideas that you haven't necessarily seen on repeat every year that it's spooky season, you know what I mean? Or like you can't dig up a million movies that have told the same story. You might have similar premises here and there, but it's the idea like they really dive into a specific kind of um, you know, like just really messed up story um or concept. Like I know one thing that to me is is is is is always nice is when like you see a genre like horror or even like a thrilling, like a thriller type movie, where you you have a concept of like a let's say like a sci-fi, like a creature, but you don't know what the creature is or what is the creature really, what does it look like? It's a mystery half the movie, um, but it tells it in a very unique way, like for uh as an example, uh a quiet place. I love the premise of the fact that like it's it, you know, you always you always have these you know horror movies where it's like it's about um you know don't don't uh don't get caught, don't get seen, you know, you're in the dark, or like it was more about like a a visual um fear. And like survival. Um but what I like is if you think about it, and for any of you who haven't seen A Quiet Place or don't know what I'm talking about, it's the the film with John Krasnski, Jim from the office, uh, with his real life wife, Emily Blunt, and they have kids in the movie, and it's about like you don't know how or what, but there's these creatures out there that have taken over the planet, and they basically can't they don't care they can't see, they only rely on sound to hunt, but like it's they're like so good at hearing, like you can't make the slightest noise. So they've adapted, they've survived this apocalypse, whatever, and they've had to live in this environment hiding from these creatures, and they have to like function as a regular family without you know, minus the noise. But what I love about that when I watch that movie is like if you think about a lot of horror movies, or even thriller, sci-fi, whatever, there's a lot of moments in the movies where like there's a moment where like somebody's walking in a hallway and like they're trying to walk quietly because they don't want to like wake somebody up or they don't want to like startle a creature that's coming after them or whatever, um, or like they're hiding from something, so they have to be quiet. It's the fact that that's like a momentary premise in a lot of these scary movies, but in that movie, that was the entire movie, so it kept you on edge in a way that like I the movie hadn't really before to a degree, you know. So I I liked that in a way that it was something new to kind of like put as an overall premise to the movie. So I I I I really liked that. I thought that I thought that was pretty dope. Um but anyways, I digress. So we watch Obsession, and and and again, it was not only was it very terrifying, I think the the the performances in this movie, I mean it was a small cast, they didn't need a lot of people. Um but the people, especially the main actor and actress, um what is it? Michael Johnston played Bear, the main guy, and then Indy Navarette, um, who played Nikki in the movie. My god, I mean the the the lengths that she went just to kind of like have this very unsettling presence in the movie. And just to give you a quick synopsis, too, like the movie's basically about kind of a group of friends, and there's one guy in the friend group that he kind of digs another girl in the fr a girl in the friend group, and he know, but he doesn't know how to tell her and this and that, and he kind of just is hoping that maybe she likes him back. It's kind of like a typical, you know, like if you have a crush or something, how do you handle it, whatever? And then he comes across this little like trinket, this little like collectible at a like uh you know one of those stores where like you know they sell and again twist their own, right? But like, you know, they sell all the they're big on all the uh the the the star signs and and uh what's the astr uh uh uh astrology? Is that what it's called? I'm gosh. I feel old already just trying to talk about it. But the the uh yeah, the signs. It's it's astrology, right? I feel like such an old fart just talking about it. Um yes, astrology. Okay, yeah. So um it it's kind of like you know, they saw specific kind of gems and stones and kinds of necklaces and and and scents and all this stuff, you know. Um and he finds this little trinket collectible, it's called the one wish willow, where he can make a wish, and you know, it's kind of one of those stories where be careful what you wish for, but it's like a very extreme scary version of that. It's kind of what the premise of the movie is, but just the way the movie kind of found its different methods to creep you out, and especially in anticipation of things happening. Like, it wasn't just one of those, let me just jump scare you for a quick second, and then you can kind of catch your breath. No, it was like let me give you two, three minutes of anticipation, and then you're gonna be living in a really creepy jump scare moment for about a cool minute to two. Like, that was it was a very different way. Like, my heart was pounding half the movie, I could feel it. I was very aware of like how I was like, oh my god, like what the hell? But it was also just a very clever, um, it was a clever uh I guess setup. The way that as you watch the movie, you're kind of like you're you're so invested in just how messed up this story is, how this wish goes, and how the per this person kind of has to live with the consequence of what he's wished for. You really forget that there's you know all this other stuff going on in the background, you know, like there's other people in this story, there's like you're so locked in on it. And to me, that was so impressive. Like it takes a lot for you as an audience member to not even think about the fact, like I'm you know, sometimes you're watching movies and you're like, there's so many characters, so many storylines, I don't know what to focus on, this and that. Like they really did a good job of letting you just ease your way into focusing just on the two main characters. I mean, it was fantastic. I I loved it. Um, and I want to rewatch it. I feel like there's things to there's things to like uh try to pick up on. Like I'm sure certain patterns are like hidden clues. Um yeah, yeah, no, I'm it's definitely gonna be a big rewatch uh during Halloween for sure. Um and how smart. I don't know if that was the plan, but this movie came out in the summer, and it's like once it comes out on like uh you know streaming or you know however you're gonna get it, or if you're old school like me, try to find the DVD. Um it's like perfect for spooky season. So nonetheless, if you're one of the few people that haven't watched Obsession, because I know a lot of my friends uh you know already checked it out. Uh, you know, if you're if you're into this kind of thing, these these kinds of movies, I I highly recommend it. Um still gotta see backrooms, though. That's the other one that I know was was made for also a very you know, much smaller budget, A24, you know, small, more uh low-key movie in terms of how it was made, and it turned out to be a pretty cool um success. And now I I'm hearing that there's other like internet sensation, like creepy stories that are getting greenlit by studios to make these movies, so it just goes to show like people are finding new creative ways to tell some of these stories, and it's really dope. Um now I'm gonna address and I'm forgive me for taking a sip here, but um I have to say too, like, you know, I talk a lot about motivation here and stuff, and and and and and you know, it kind of almost doesn't seem to add up a little bit with the idea that I'm so you know really into this kind of genre, this kind of these kind of films. But it was so interesting um that I I don't know, probably a couple weeks ago, I don't know what I was looking up, because I tend to like just randomly ask like Chat GPT or or you know Gemini or what you know, anything um AI to kind of like just ask like what's the psychology of this? What what's a habit of this, or what is this, is this a symptom of something? Which I don't I know I know when I say that and I have that bad habit sometimes. If I feel a little sick, you know, I look up like what it what is this a symptom of? And then like you know, it's like any little thing, oh I have a stuff he knows, but my you know, I'm getting a headache in the front of my head, what does that mean? And it's kind of saying, Oh, you uh you might have uh not much time left. And I'm like, okay, yeah, no, let me not go down this rabbit hole. But um, I was reading something about how uh it might have even just been on Instagram, something that that came up about like if you're if if you're into or like if you're going through something, if you're going through like a state of like depression or like very uh like high stress, sometimes you are drawn to a distraction that might evoke uh very different emotions than what you're used to. You might even lean into some of the emotions that you're feeling, but like in a different format. So, like in this case for me, you know, I mentioned earlier that I, you know, I got into a lot of watching a lot of horror movies and and spent a lot of time like watching some of these movies um during the pandemic. And and like a lot of us, you know, we all went through a lot at that time, the world went through a lot at that time, and I was also going through some personal stuff, but like I noticed that I was like there was an uptick of me getting into a lot of these movies, and it definitely was a distraction, but I didn't realize that it was almost a subconscious thing where it was like, okay, I I like to be this motivational person, I like to try to be um, you know, a positive person in the room, and you know, I don't like to bring the room down by any means, um, you know, or let that feed into other people. Uh, but when I was alone, like that's another thing. I would always watch these movies alone. I love no, I don't think part of that was, you know, I didn't have a girlfriend at the time, and and I I really didn't know many people that were into movies like that, as it was, so they probably wouldn't sit down with me and watch them, but it was also like I I I kind of liked that uh that that that privacy of like watching them just just me on my own. But it was it was interesting because you know that I'm reading this this little post or whatever, and it's saying that a lot of times it's like a very human thing to to to lean into things that maybe are the opposite of what you try to evoke on a regular basis. And I'm like, okay, well that I guess that kind of makes sense, you know. That's probably why I got into some of these movies, but also I did notice that like because if you even today, some of the horror movies that I'm not a huge fan of, like I like the the the classic slasher movies, you know, um you know Friday the 13th or um Nightmare on Elm Street, like the classics, right? But like I'm not a huge fan, like I'm I I'm not drawn to a horror movie that's just about like just murdering people or like just bloody gore. Like if it's just that, yeah, I might, you know, if there's a hype about it and people want to go, like I guess, but it doesn't get my attention like that. Like, for instance, a big um uh people made a big deal about uh Terrifier, which was like this killer clown that has become like such a sensation. Like, look, and I've talked about this before, I love going to horror nights at Universal Studios. It's like you know, all the mazes and and all that, like it's a perfect way for me to like you know, it's one of the biggest things you could do during spooky season during Halloween. But something like they brought Terrifier, that character around, and it was like cool to see the character, you know, because it's like a movie character coming to life, but like I wasn't invested in it, so I was kind of like, yeah, that's cool, I guess, you know, for the sake of the scare at the theme park, but something about the movie itself, it being crafted like that, to me, it just kind of feels like you're just looking for new ways to kind of do some like really messed up shit on film and just make money on it, but you know, to each their own again. People, some people like that stuff, um, just not me. Um, and another thing too that I I really found interesting with some of these scary movies was like if it had a really clear like for instance, one of my favorite franchises was uh and still is the conjuring franchise, but it wasn't just because it was like, don't get me wrong, some of these movies they they also found really cool ways to be creepy and different ways to scare you. Like you could tell they got real tactical and like how can we find different things to to put on the wall and like you know creep people out in in ways that they haven't seen on film, or even using special effects to do some things, and uh it was it was pretty dope. But I think what was even cooler to me about what made me enjoy it so much, there was a mystery element to it, and I and I've learned over the years that like I'm really into movies that keep you guessing and like you're trying to figure out and solve whatever's going on, even if it's not like a murder mystery, but just movies like that in general. And I was like, okay, I think that's why I'm also invested in some of these movies. And I have to say, like, sometimes when when you really don't know, like you don't know what the next move is in the movie, to me, you you got my attention already. And like in the Conjuring movies, they did that. Uh some of the spinoffs, like some of the. Of the Annabelle movies and stuff, like, yeah, they had you know they were extensions of those movies, but it was alright. Um, but the Conjuring movies, and again, you know, for anybody who hasn't watched them, it's about a couple in real life who were like paranormal investigators, like they were doing this for a living for as a couple, too, mind you. Talk about a power couple, like that was their entire profession. And you know, they're they I think they both have since passed, but like the the the um the couple their house still exists, it's a museum now with a bunch of haunted artifacts. Would I go there? Maybe not, but it's still something that I think is just very intriguing that somebody and they invested their lives to to studying, understanding what this stuff was and helping people too. You could tell that a big part of their interest in in that line of work was they they liked helping people and like giving them a sense of reassurance or safety or whatever it was. And to me, like, hey, you gotta give somebody credit when that's part of their motivation is to try to help somebody. So, you know, uh, but to know that this was a real life couple, and even if they, you know, Hollywood did their Hollywood thing to movie up the story a little bit, it was still cool that they got exposure to learn that there's people out there that do that. And and whether you believe in it or not, like I'm not gonna lie, I'm one of those people that like I can't say for certain that I've seen a ghost or anything like that, but I will tell you this I respect the concept enough not to fuck with it. That's the way I look at it. I I I don't know what spirits or whatever might be lurking, or if they're not, I do know this though. I am not a person that's gonna test that theory and not respect it. You're not gonna see me playing with the Ouija board, you're not gonna see me trying to cast no spells and all that be in the hell nah. I am not doing that. Because here's my thing call me crazy if there's a chance that it's real and you're not sure, like you're not a hundred percent sure. I don't think any of us truly are a hundred percent sure. Um, why try it? That's my thing. Why why gamble on it? Now again, also I'm speaking from a perspective that I'm not a big gambler to begin with in life, so maybe that's easy for me to say, but that's also my theory is like people mess around with it like it's no big deal, and I'm like, okay, well if you're so sure that it doesn't concern you, I mean I guess go for it, but I mean if you're not if you're not a hundred percent sure, why would you just you know I don't know, that's just me. Um because I know people that play with a Ouija board like it's nothing, like it's like it's a game of battleship or some shit. I don't know. Not not not I but you know the the the the other thing too is because there's been movies made about some of that stuff and I'll still watch them to a degree, but I'm still kind of watching them like it couldn't be me. They they got what they were they got what they were asking for. I I I kind of don't feel you know you watch some horror movies and you're kind of like dang this person didn't make it through the movie, like that kind of sucks. I watch a movie like Ouija and I'm like, well, you kind of invited it though, so I don't feel bad. And that's when I'm kind of like, well, good thing this is a fiction movie, because I don't I don't feel bad for anybody in this movie. Um but yeah, man, I mean there's there there's so many cool things to me about Halloween 2. I will say the other element is like, you know, especially coming from a Hispanic heritage, like being of Mexican, you know, descent, like Dial de los Muertos is also a really cool thing to me. That's the other side of it that I think why I kind of embrace sometimes some of this scary stuff. Like I think subconsciously I'm also telling myself like some of this scary stuff doesn't have to be as scary as we make it to be. For the sake of craft and like filmmaking, it's a it's a new way to like kind of stimulate your brain and the way you watch things, but like excuse me, I I also feel like it it there's there's a side to it that can be very um lighthearted. Like for instance, I love when a scary movie isn't just serious the whole time, like I love it when there's comedy in it too, and sometimes you're just like uh I'm trying to think, like for instance, Get Out, which isn't like the scariest movie in the world, but I mean it's it's you know it's got its moments where you're like hell no. And I think that's what I like about all the Jordan Pill movies that he's made so far, all three of them. What is it? Uh Get Out, Us, and then Nope. That all those movies have like funny elements to them, and you kind of have in it and it makes it a human moment too. Like, I'll never forget in Get Out, where um uh the TSA agent in the movie, um if you've seen it, you know what I'm talking about. The main character, you know, who goes to that to his white girlfriend's family's house and it's like all creepy and shit. Everyone's asking him about his anatomy and asking her about what it's like to be with him and this and like you know, really creepy, and then you realize what kind of messed up shit is really going on. Um, but he has a friend who's a TSA agent and he's constantly calling him, like, hey man, even before he goes to this girl's family's house, he's like, hey man, listen, uh would it be me? I don't know, I don't I don't think it's a good idea. Uh it sounds like you're getting set up. Like, and he there's kind of like this real, uh like a different perspective, almost like the audience kind of speaking in it into its own, like I said, its own character. I think it's pretty dope that they that they bring elements into it like that. And to me, that makes it real in a way, too, is that you kind of realize that even in scary moments, there's a time where you kind of like laugh at certain things, or you kind of at least are led to try to laugh at it because you don't want it to be just all scary and all serious. Um, and it kind of just creates a cool, a cool, a cool, comfortable balance, I guess. It makes sometimes a little digestible too when certain things happen. Um, but I mean people say laughter is healing. Um but yeah, I mean, oh gosh, and I was even thinking, you know, because like I knew I was gonna record this episode after watching Obsession, and I was like, you know, there there's there's so many movies that have especially scary movies that have really stimulated my way of thinking. Like, because I even talked about like I just mentioned, you know, the the idea of like there being a mystery, like there's certain mystery, like murder mystery movies that I love, um, you know, that that have made me think, like for instance knives out, one of my favorite movies of all time, I think. Uh, and it's a really cool murder mystery movie. But it's the idea that you blend that with a very scary environment that you know, as it is when you're in a scary, like picture it this way. If you've ever done an escape room, I recently just did one for the very first time uh with my family. We did it for Father's Day actually with my dad. It was a gift to him, but we all did it. My girlfriend, myself, uh uh, my sister and my brother-in-law, and then my parents, we the six of us did it together. And it was a pretty like, you know, it wasn't a scary one, it was a pretty like straightforward premise. We were like pretending that we were basically like prisoners, like in a like in a jail cell. We had to break ourselves out. We had kind of had to work as a team, but it wasn't like creepy or anything. Um and you think about how complicated that is, right? You kind of have to work together, it takes a lot of patience, concentration, you gotta think, you know, outside the box a little bit. That's already that can already be pretty damn difficult as it is. Now put yourself in a scary ass situation. You turn the damn lights off, you put some creepy music on, or even you know, real life doesn't necessarily play creepy music, but like you hear creepy shit in the background, you know, um uh you hear voices, um I don't know, you just that doesn't that make it so much more difficult? Like that would make it 10 times harder for me. So to me, when you can blend that in a movie, that's why I think it's also very interesting, is like you know, like how the hell are you gonna solve a mistake? I can't, dude. Like, I look we were in that uh that escape room, and you know, it gives you an opportunity to like take a hint every once in a while. We wouldn't have been able to get out of there if we hadn't taken a hint every once in a while. Man, real life, you think those paranormal investigators in the conjuring were gonna be able to get a hint? They couldn't, you know, phone a friend in that shit, like they just had to figure it out. And to me, I think that's what's also so interesting about it. Um, so you know, and then just the way, like another thing about this movie obsession that I really appreciated was um they took advantage a lot of like lighting and like the angles they shot from, and like that's one of the things that I I really have enjoyed and appreciated about filmmaking as I got older. Watching movies is like, damn, the way you put a you set a camera up and you set up lighting, like it's so clever. Um, and and and and it makes you look at things differently. Like, you know, the um one of the things in this movie that was really there was a a way to make the main actress kind of you know very intimidating and and creepy. Because this this it's not like this girl is like six foot five, like she's she's a tiny thing, and but she's walking around, and she's there's points in the movie where you're watching her and you're just like, oh, I'm terrified. Like, I don't know if I would survive this. And and you're thinking like me, like I'm I'm I'm not super tall, I'm 5'10, and you know, I probably got some you know, some pounds on her, like she's she's she's she's a skinny thing, and I'm like, I don't stand a chance. There's no way, there's no way I would make it. But it's the way they shoot the movie, like there's even times where she's like standing in a doorway, and like but the light is behind her, so you can't see her face. Like you can kind of make out, you know, as you're in the dark longer, the longer you're in the dark, you kind of start to be able to see things, your eyes adjust, but like you cannot you can't see most of her face. You mainly see her hair, and like her she's kind of moving a little weird, and I'm like, Yeah, man, the the the and and doesn't cost much, it's just creativity, it's just the way your mind works. Um, and then you mix that with some great ass acting, somebody who really selling the performance, like nah yeah, you saw me. Um, so yeah, I I mean I'll I'll probably be talking about this movie for a couple weeks, and I gotta watch it again. I know there's definitely things that I want to be able to pick up on um or point out. I'm trying to think. Oh, I know what I was gonna mention too, because you know, I I think jumping into spooky season, you know, there's some of the things that I'm really looking forward to. Um, you know, we're gonna obviously try to decorate a little bit in here, make the apartment a little bit more, you know. Um, I know it's still summer a little bit. We might take our time. We still gotta go check out some of the stores. I think what is it like Hobby Lobby puts some stuff out. I know even like Ross or Marshall's or a lot of these places. Um uh even like Target or Walmart, you know, I start seeing all that stuff, probably look at some decorations. Uh, because I feel like it just the time's gonna fly by and then Halloween's gonna be here, next thing you know. I mean, 113 days sounds like a lot, but it, I mean, I I can't believe we're already more than halfway into 2026. I feel like I still got used to writing that down. But um, yeah, it's gonna be around the corner. And and and and I'm I'm obviously very excited to see what what else comes up. I'm I'm hoping to go to Horror Nights again. The thing, the thing with Horror Nights though, I've mentioned this before on the podcast, but it's like to me, it's not worth it unless you get the express ticket. Now, let me let me break this down. For any of you who have gone or maybe who haven't checked this out before and haven't gone to this experience. So Horror Nights is obviously the whole Halloween, you know, they they they you're the park opens up in the later hours and they do all the mazes and they bring in all kinds of even movies and TV shows that have come up recently. And you know, they make they use all the movie magic, they use their sound stages at Universal Studios. It's a bit, you know, it's a full studio lot, so they put together all the set pieces and and all that stuff, and it's obviously the about as real as it's ever gonna get in terms of you not actually experiencing the real thing. And and you know, as someone who likes movies, it's just kind of cool even to see how they do it sometimes and how they set everything up. Um but obviously, you know, with the mazes, it's become so popular, and and and with the movies they bring in, the lines, man, the lines are insane. Like, I think the last time, and this is not me flexing, this is just me because I'm like, I'm like, there's very few things I splurge you know, money-wise, like that I spurge for, and this is one of them. This is like one of the three things every year that I I would try to splurge on because you know, I obviously really into it, but like I think the last time I didn't pay for like the the front of the line ticket was probably like before before COVID. And like, and even the lines weren't as bad then. The last two years, I remember I've gone and I've seen wait times that are like three hours. And mind you, the event starts like at I think the the early entry starts like at 5 or 6 p.m. But the bases don't open, I think, until like six, and the event runs until like two a.m. I think one or two in the morning. So picture that it's six to eight hours. If you're waiting three hours in line, first of all, by the time you get to the front, is it worth it? But also, you're gonna go. I don't care if you pay only 60-70 bucks compared to the express ticket, you're gonna pay that money just to go to two, three mazes, and more than the you're then that the the mazes you do are gonna last you a total of five minutes. But the other six hours you were in line? Nah, that's crazy to me. To me, it's not worth it. And I get it, don't get me wrong. Like, I'm I'm definitely not like hating on anybody who doesn't have the budget to do it, you know. They want to go at least experience something. So I'm hey, again, tweet's their own. Like, I'm not I'm not mad at you for that, but to me it's just so crazy that that you gotta deal with that. I I I personally don't see it as worth it, you know. So that's why I'm like, you know what, I I will save money all year. Uh uh, you know, j just to just to try to get that express ticket. Because it's just it's just worth it that way. Like, you just save yourself so much time, you enjoy the experience too. Because it's not just mazes, there's all kinds of other characters walking around, there's all kinds of cool food and drinks to try. Um, and you can take your time too. You know, kind of there's all kinds of decorations and stuff they do for the park. Even some of the rides are still open. Like during the the the horror night hours, you know, they still have some of the rides open, so you can take advantage. Um, this year I'm excited too because um hopefully if we get to go, uh if you get the the the the express I think most of the tickets, maybe maybe just certain tickets, like the express ticket, I don't know. But the express is the front-of-the-line ticket. Um, this summer is I can't I can't I don't know if it officially opened already or it's about to, the new Fast and Furious roller coaster um that they just put up. So, you know, some of that stuff comes included too, so like why not? You know? Um the craziest shit is there's there's like a the they call that this diversion of VIP tour, they call it the RIP tour. Um that's like 700 bucks per person. That's a little insane. Um I'll become a millionaire and then I'll pay for that. But I don't think right now that's kind of crazy money to spend. Um and you know the the the the funny thing too that when I go to some of this, like some of these events, like Horror Nights being probably my favorite one. Like just full disclaimer, like I I worked at Universal for a little bit. Uh I worked there for like about a year, and and and I worked there in Burbank, and I remember when that time of year came around, it was so interesting because you know when they hire for the scare actors, I I don't know what it's like now, but you know, this was a few years ago that I was there. That man, like the the the way people audition, the the the the thing, the way the setup is, like you know, because some of the people that that are the the scare actors in these mazes that are playing these characters, for some of these people, it they're building their resume as actors, as producers, or whatever, because they're a part of technically a production. It's just maybe not a full-length movie, but it's a production. So you know that's why they get so into the you know being the characters and auditioning and this and that, because it's kind of like they're building their resume. And but that the the things that they go through, even to audition, like they put literally put them on a stage or in a room with like other people and just say, act like this kind of creature, or make these noises, or hey, uh picture you're in this setting at this time, and you feel this, or this is your you know, and then they just let them go. They start acting and around all these other people, and you basically, you know, these these production heads or whatever, like they start picking apart the people they really like. And it's it's so funny to me because then it's like you know, they're getting a really cool experience, the people that I'm sure do this, but I've also heard that some of them are just so exhausted because you know, they're they got maybe other day jobs or you know, the fact that they have to sit even sometimes in a couple hours of makeup in prep for that, and it's not even a movie. So it's just so crazy, and that's why too, like when I go there, I'm also appreciating like all the effort that went behind the scenes just to put this together. I mean, you know, they they're putting up these mazes almost year-round. Like, I I want to say once War Nights is over, which is usually at the very end of October, maybe the first week of November, they still have a couple of days. And then after that, like they they maybe take a couple of months, like you know, for they set everything up for Christmas and New Year's and all that. I want to say that by like February, they're already like you know, they've already by then taken down all the facades and buildings and structures and everything. By like February, they're already laying the groundwork for the new ones because it just takes time. And also they want to, you know, they want to test stuff out, they want to see what works, what doesn't. So, you know, it it's a process. And also the the people that are in charge of like the blueprints and and seeing what ideas they're gonna use for the following year, like they already know at least the year in advance what's coming to the following, you know, horror nights season. So it it you know, it's well thought out and it's well planned. Like, I know you know, Stranger Things season five, the final season, came out last year. They already knew that that was gonna come out to Horror Knights this coming year, um, which we're very look much looking forward to. Hopefully, again, if we get to go, that'll be a really cool thing to watch. Uh, because we were very invested in that show. But again, it's just it's just really dope. Um, you know, to see how they set all that up. So looking forward to that. I think the other things that I we're really looking forward to for spooky season is we want to go check out like, you know, there's cool like bars and speakeasies that come, you know, pop up just for Halloween. Um, cool different kinds of pumpkin patches, too, that are really nice. Um and even like uh just random little pop-ups. Like there's a there's a couple coffee spots that kind of turn their place, you know, full Halloween, or that's just kind of like even you know, Halloween year-round. There's a place in, I want to say it's Long Beach called Fourth Horseman or the Four Horsemen, something like that. Um uh fellow podcast buddy of mine, uh uh uh Miles Darling. Again, go check out Sort of Interesting Podcast. Gotta give him a shout-out. Uh, they're a full-time MCU podcast. They're reviewing all the Marvel movies leading up to Avengers Doomsday in December. So go check them out. Sorta Interesting Podcast. Um my buddy Miles, who's one of the hosts uh uh of that show, he you know, we're we've been buddies for a while, and and he uh we went to Long Beach with him one time and we actually just went into this place just to go use a restroom, but it's a it's a really cool pizza spot and it's decorated like like uh like you know like horror genre year-round. I know there's coffee spots out there and stuff that are you know or uh um even like just kind of like light decorations, kind of just a theme. Like I know in Anaheim they have um what's called the Villains Brewery. I've been there before, but it's pretty cool. They just have really cool graffiti art and artwork of like different uh horror like icons and stuff. It's cool, all the all the taps on the uh all the handles on the taps, the beer taps, they all have like different cool like horror genre like characters and you know stuff like that. So it's pretty cool. So I'm hoping to do that. Um yeah, this is a lot to look forward to. Love me some spooky season stuff, and it's just the fall, man. I I I'm a sucker for fall. I'm not loving this heat right now. Uh, we're gonna be going to Vegas in a couple of weeks. So being in Vegas during the heat, man, that's gonna be something. That is gonna be something. Ay, ay, ay. Well, listen, um, again, I don't make the rules. It is spooky season now. Uh I'm gonna be keeping this countdown going up until Halloween, and I'm gonna keep you all posted on whatever else we got going on. Um, you know, all things leading up to Halloween, any movies that we watch, whether it's new things or just kind of revisiting. I also want to see what movies my girlfriend hasn't seen yet that we can probably revisit or watch. She's into scary movies. Her thing is the blood. That's kind of what she has a hard time with sometimes. And again, it kind of works out because not that I don't like it or I can't watch it, it's just more like it's not my preferred type of scary movie. Um But uh, you know, there's always a lot of really cool like new things that that pop up scary movie-wise that I want to I want to be able to revisit or just to kind of jump into. So it's it's a fun season. Um But nonetheless, I uh I I I'll before I I I hop on out of here, I have to make sure I mention too that in leading up to um the the Spider-Man brand new day and us having again, we're gonna be having our very first guest here. Um I'm gonna be watching all the Spider-Man movies. Uh I'm gonna encourage my brother-in-law to do the same if he can. But uh, you know, we're we're gonna be watching all those, also the the animated Spider-Man movies my girlfriend has not seen yet. So we we're we're we're gonna start watching the Spider-Verse, the first one into the Spider-Verse. Uh, we're gonna watch both those. That'll be a good time. And then um we're also gonna try to maybe some re-watch like the Tom Holland Spider-Man movies at least together, uh leading up to Brand New Day. So that'll be a good time. Um, but leading up to the episode that I'm gonna record here in just a couple of weeks, I want to know from all of you, and and please give me a chance, comment on this, uh you know, put in whatever suggestions you can, and let me know. What kind of things should should me and Daniel talk about? You know, uh, do we is there certain questions you want us to answer, certain topics you want us to jump into? Hey, no wrong answers here. Trust me. If if I don't want to talk about it, I'll just toss it out the bucket, but don't worry. You know, we we want to take some suggestions and ideas, and you know, no idea is a bad idea in this in this sense, so we want to be able to take advantage and just you know, we want to hear what you want to hear from us. You know, we want to have a good time with it. So um very much looking forward to that and hope you all tune in. But other than that, hope you guys enjoyed this episode. I wanted to have just kind of a fun time, and and you know, I was excited about jumping into spooky season now. We're we're we're literally just in it. I mean, it's July, but think about it. October is three months away, September's really when it starts to kick off, so that's really only two months away, and it's already in the store, so you basically just might as well accept it already. So um if nobody else is gonna be your Halloween uh uh point of contact, I got you. I got you covered. So uh other than that though, looking forward to the next episode. Um, I have a couple of good episodes even leading up to um our our our next um bonus episode, having the first guest on, uh having Daniel to join this conversation. But I hope all of you are doing well, staying cool out there. Um if you have any other suggestions for the podcast in general, what do you think of the setup? Anything that you'd like to see, uh anybody you'd like to see me talk to, anything, any topics or anything you want to hear me talk about, let me know. And and and and I'll be happy to take a look and and and somehow bring it into the bring it into the show. So I appreciate every single one of you. Uh go check out any episodes you haven't checked out already. Um and and and you know, otherwise, more to come on the on the podcast, and I look forward to talking to you next. So I'll see you on the next episode.