Deep Cuts Horror Hit List #17 “Ready Or Not”

Summary

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Podcast Summary: Amy Robach & T.J. Holmes Present

Deep Cuts Horror Hit List #17: “Ready or Not”

Date: October 15, 2025
Hosts: Amy Robach & TJ Holmes
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts

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Episode Overview

In this episode, Amy Robach and TJ Holmes continue their countdown to Halloween with "Deep Cuts Horror Hit List," spotlighting underrated horror gems. This week, they dive into "Ready or Not" (2019), a darkly comedic horror movie centering on a wedding night gone homicidally wrong. The hosts explore the film’s unique blend of genres, standout performances, why it deserves a spot on their top horror movies list, and who should (or shouldn’t!) put it on their watchlist.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Introduction and Background

[03:29] TJ Holmes:

• Introduces “Ready or Not” as a hidden horror favorite, and warns listeners it’ll make them reconsider marrying into eccentric families.
• Calls leading lady Samara Weaving “one of my absolute favorite horror movie actresses,” though “people will recognize her even if they don’t know her name.”

[04:07] Amy Robach:

• Admits TJ put the film on her radar: "I certainly had not watched the movie. And you said, oh boy, please watch it with me. I was gonna watch it, I think on a plane. You're like, no, no, no, watch it with me.”
• Gives a concise synopsis: Grace marries into a rich family, only to be hunted by her in-laws as part of a deadly game of hide and seek.
• Highlights the film’s multi-genre appeal: “Horror, mystery, thriller, comedy. So this has something for everybody. It really does have all of those genres put into one fabulous movie.”

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Analyzing the Movie’s Tone & Style

[05:35] Amy Robach:

• Calls it primarily a “horror comedy,” but praises its supernatural twists and “phenomenal acting.”
• Notes the supernatural “forces all of this to play out.”

[05:56] TJ Holmes:

• Emphasizes the absurdity of the premise: “She’s literally in her wedding dress...her in-laws need to catch and kill her for supernatural reasons.”

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Cast & Crew Highlights

[06:19] Amy Robach:

• Reports the movie’s box office success: “57.6 million total...budget was just 6 million.”
• Breaks down the cast:
  • Samara Weaving: “You know her face, you know her work, but I didn’t necessarily know her name.”
  • Adam Brody and Andie MacDowell: Praises MacDowell’s role as “delicious” and “so good.”
  • Henry Czerny: Recalls his appearances across the Mission Impossible franchise.

[07:39] TJ Holmes:

• On Samara Weaving: “She’s just a quirky...pretty blonde woman who plays these very quirky characters that aren’t sexy...they’re hilarious, they’re funny, self deprecating. She nails and owns that in all of her roles.”

[08:35] Amy Robach:

• Shouts out the directors (Tyler Gillette and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin): also behind “Abigail,” another horror-comedy.

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Unique Elements & Genre Blending

[08:54] TJ Holmes:

• Compares “Ready or Not” to “Abigail”: “They put somebody in a role you don’t expect.”
• Draws contrast between the elegant appearance of the wedding and the brutal cat-and-mouse game.

[09:14] Amy Robach:

• Points out high critical praise: “Rotten Tomatoes… 89%...audience score 78%.”
• Discusses possible reasons for audience split: “Maybe the concept was a little too much to stomach for some folks.”

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Critic & Audience Reception

[09:41] Amy Robach:

• Ponders the sometimes unpredictable Rotten Tomatoes scores.
• Reads the critic consensus:

"Smart, subversive and darkly funny, Ready or Not is a crowd-pleasing horror film with giddily entertaining bite." (09:59)

[10:06] TJ Holmes & Amy Robach:

• Explain the film’s "dark, but balanced" tone: combines wedding comedy with violence to offset the brutality.

[10:34] Amy Robach:

• Observes even children play a part in the family’s deadly tradition. "Even the kids...are involved in the hunt."

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Standout Reviews & Interpretations

[11:04] Amy Robach:

• Recites various critics’ takes:
  • One calls it a “blood soaked roller coaster ride you can’t wait to get back in line for.”
  • Another finds it “a dark, splattery note on the margins of society’s growing divisions.”
  • Described as “smart B-movie” and “screwball comedy” blended with horror.

[12:10] TJ Holmes:

• Praises the “perfect cast,” singling out the “old grandmother” as the “most brutal killer of them all.”

[12:46] Amy Robach:

• Agrees: “Grandmas are not typically...put like that into movies.”

[12:56] TJ Holmes & Amy Robach:

• Discuss why the film is so fun and entertaining, particularly for its originality and execution.
• Amy on the ending:

“I loved this ending… worth the wait… I laughed out loud. I was actually kind of appalled at myself for laughing, but I was okay with it because it’s a movie and it’s not real life.” (13:46)

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What Makes It Special

[13:56] TJ Holmes:

• Notes Samara Weaving’s ability to make even the darkest moments “okay for you to laugh at.”
• Warns that the film is “pretty brutal and uncomfortable at times… a couple of the moments… make you a little squeamish. But this is a fun one.”

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Who Should (and Shouldn’t) Watch It

[20:03] Amy Robach:

• Describes “Ready or Not” as perfect for fans of cat-and-mouse horror, especially those who enjoy dark humor, jump scares, strong ensemble acting, and genre blending.
• Cautions: “You also have to be okay with some, some gore and some dark subject matters. And yes, you have to have a little bit of a twisted mindset to laugh along with the actors.” (20:54)

[21:11] TJ Holmes:

• “Some of it’s so over the top and ridiculous... slapstick comedy I can come up with in a horror genre.”
• “If you’re in the middle of the road, I think this movie covers a lot of horror movie fans, no matter where you are on that scale.”

[21:51] Amy Robach:

• Advises: “If you really want to be scared, you’re not scared watching this movie... if you can’t stomach the idea of humans hunting humans, then definitely don’t watch this movie. But I do think it’s all done in the spirit of humor.”

[22:42] TJ Holmes:

• “I don’t think this movie is for anybody getting married soon… Don’t watch this. Just get through the wedding and then watch the movie and it’ll be fine.”

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Pairings & Viewing Suggestions

[23:28] Amy Robach:

• Recommends making it a party: “All about champagne and cake... it’s fun to watch with the group. Just to lean into the theme and have some fun with it is the right way to go.”

[24:01] TJ Holmes:

• Suggests it can work as a date movie, as “it does make you start to ask questions of each other and of your maybe families.”

[24:34] Amy Robach:

• Praises the film for making even the villains likable: “You actually are rooting for the characters, even the ones… that are devilish, you still like them.”

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Memorable Quotes

• On Samara Weaving’s performance:

“She’s just a quirky... pretty blonde woman who plays these very quirky characters that aren’t sexy... they’re hilarious, they’re funny, self deprecating. She nails and owns that in all of her roles.”
—TJ Holmes [07:39]

• On the ending:

“I laughed out loud. I was actually kind of appalled at myself for laughing, but I was okay with it because it’s a movie and it’s not real life. But I thought the ending was spectacular.”
—Amy Robach [13:46]

• On genre blend:

"Horror, mystery, thriller, comedy. So this has something for everybody… all of those genres put into one fabulous movie."
—Amy Robach [04:07]

• On who shouldn’t watch:

“If you really want to be scared, I’m... you’re not scared watching this movie... if you can’t stomach the idea of humans hunting humans, then definitely don’t watch this movie.”
—Amy Robach [21:51]

• On likability:

“You actually are rooting for the characters, even the ones...that are devilish, you still like them.”
—Amy Robach [24:34]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [03:29] Introduction, why the film is on their list
• [04:07] Amy gives film synopsis, genre blend, initial reactions
• [05:35] Discussion of horror-comedy balance and supernatural elements
• [06:19] Box office, cast overview, Andie MacDowell and Henry Czerny shoutouts
• [08:54] Connection to "Abigail" and blending of innocence/violence
• [09:14] Rotten Tomatoes and critical consensus
• [11:04] Critic reviews and interpretations
• [12:56] The appeal of horror-comedy and sticking the landing with the ending
• [13:46] Reaction to the film's unforgettable final scenes
• [20:03] "Who is it for?"—detailed viewer recommendations
• [21:51] Warnings for certain viewers
• [23:28] Pairing suggestions; it's a perfect party or date movie
• [24:34] Discussion on likable, well-rounded characters

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Overall Tone and Takeaways

Both hosts approach "Ready or Not" with enthusiasm and playful banter, reflecting on its mix of gore with humor. They stress how the movie stands out for blending genres, an excellent ensemble cast, and a creative, surprising ending. They repeatedly return to how the film’s darkness is offset by sharp wit, memorable performances, and even moments that make you question why you’re laughing. Their message is clear: if you love sly, subversive comedy with your horror—and don’t mind a little blood—this one’s not to be missed.

Highly Recommended For:

• Horror/comedy fans
• Those who appreciate fresh, original premises
• Viewers who enjoy ensemble casts and off-beat, subversive humor

Not Recommended For:

• Those seeking pure scares or who are sensitive to violence/human-hunting themes
• Anyone with an upcoming wedding (just to be safe!)

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Transcript

[Amy Robach]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Asma Khalid]

America is changing and so is the world.

[Tristan Redman]

But what's happening in America isn't just a cause of global upheaval. It's also a symptom of disruption that's happening everywhere.

[Asma Khalid]

I'm Asma Khalid in Washington, D.C. i'm.

[Tristan Redman]

Tristan Redman in London, and this is the global story.

[Asma Khalid]

Every weekday, we'll bring you a story from this intersection where the world and America meet.

[Tristan Redman]

Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Johnny Knoxville]

Hello, America's sweetheart. Johnny Knoxville here. I want to tell you about my new true crime podcast, Crimeless Hillbilly Heist from Smartless Media, Campside Media and big money players. It's a wild tale about a gang of high functioning nitwits who. Who somehow pulled off America's third largest cash heist.

[TJ Holmes]

Kind of like Robin Hood, except for the part where he steals from the rich and gives to the poor. I'm not that generous.

[Johnny Knoxville]

It's a damn near inspiring true story for anyone out there who's ever shot for the moon, then just totally muffed up the landing.

[TJ Holmes]

They stole $17 million and had not bought a ticket to help him escape.

[Narrator (Hell in Heaven)]

So we're sitting like, oh, God, what do we do?

[TJ Holmes]

What do we do? That was dumb. People, do not follow my example.

[Johnny Knoxville]

Listen to Crimeless Hillbilly Heist on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Narrator (Hell in Heaven)]

Two rich young Americans move to the Costa Rican jungle to start over. But one of them will end up dead and the other tried for murder three times. It starts with a dream, a nature reserve and a spectacular new home. But little by little, they lose it.

[TJ Holmes]

They actually lose it.

[Amy Robach]

They sort of went nuts.

[Narrator (Hell in Heaven)]

Until one night, everything spins out of control. Listen to Hell in Heaven on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[Maggie Freeling]

The murder of an 18 year old girl in Graves County, Kentucky went unsolved for years until a local housewife, a journalist and a handful of girls came forward with a story.

[TJ Holmes]

America, y' all better wake the hell up. Bad things happens to good people in small towns.

[Maggie Freeling]

Listen to Graves county on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast or wherever you get your podcasts and to binge the entire season ad free. Subscribe to Lava for Good plus on Apple Podcasts.

[Jonathan Goldstein]

I'm Jonathan Goldstein. And on the new season of Heavyweight. And so I pointed the gun at him and said, this isn't a joke. A man who robbed a bank when he was 14 years old and a centenarian rediscovers a love lost 80 years ago.

[Amy Robach]

How can 101-year-old woman fall in love again?

[Jonathan Goldstein]

Listen to heavyweight on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[TJ Holmes]

Hey there folks. It is Wednesday, October 15, and have we got a movie for you. It stars one of my absolute favorite horror movie actresses. And this movie will have you rethinking and then maybe asking more questions before you marry into somebody's family. And with that, welcome to our horror hit list as we continue to count down our favorite horror movies leading into Halloween. Our favorite horror movies that most folks have not heard of. This one, I don't know. It's an actress people will recognize even though they don't know her name.

[Amy Robach]

But there are other actors in this movie that do have household names. And I will have to say you put this on my radar. I didn't know about the movie. I certainly had not watched the movie. And you said, oh boy, please watch it with me. I was gonna watch it, I think on a plane. You're like, no, no, no, watch it with me. And I'm so happy I did. Ready or not, that is the movie we are talking about. It was released on August 21, 2019. I am not sure how I missed it. Again, great runtime. An hour and 35 minutes. Rated R. Horror, mystery, thriller, comedy. So this has something for everybody. It really does have all of those genres put into one fabulous movie. And here's the synopsis for you. Grace couldn't be happier after she marries the man of her dreams at his family's luxurious estate. There's just one catch. She must now hide from midnight until dawn while her new in laws hunt her down with guns, crossbows and other weapons. As Grace desperately tries to survive the night, she soon finds a way to turn the tables on her not so lovable relatives.

[TJ Holmes]

Obviously, that's a ridiculous premise and they pull it off so well. It doesn't seem like a silly movie at all. There is violence, there is horror, there is comedy. You mentioned all those genres up there. Which one do you think it leans more into? Horror, Mystery, thriller or comedy?

[Amy Robach]

I think it's a horror comedy. I would put those two at the top. But there is mystery and it is thrilling and the acting is phenomenal. And there's a supernatural element to it as well. So it's not just people, man versus man. There is a supernatural element that forces all of this to play out.

[TJ Holmes]

Yes. And again, you hear that right, folks. She's literally in her wedding Dress. She has to play hide and go seek. And if she's caught and killed. That is the point. The in laws need to catch and kill her for supernatural reasons that will later be revealed. But that is what the movie is. And she gets bloodied all over the. It is a wonderful movie.

[Amy Robach]

And this thing did really, really well at the box office actually. For a horror movie. Yeah. 57.6 million total. That's phenomenal. The budget was just 6 million, so they did very well with this one. And you could see how maybe there is. I would love a. A sequel. Absolutely. But the cast, Samara Weaving, that's the actress that TJ was talking about. And it's true. You know her face, you know her work. But I didn't necessarily know her name. Then you have Adam Brody. Duh. Then you have Andie McDowell, of course. Amazing. And she's so good in this, by the way. I love, I've always loved her. And it's so fun seeing her in a delicious role like this because that's exactly what her role is as the mother in law. The new mother in law, Henry Cherney, also in it as the father in law.

[TJ Holmes]

Yeah. And again, everybody knows his face from so much work. And most recently he's been in several of the Mission Impossible movies. He was the first one with Tom Cruise. He's playing the. His guy at the CIA or whatever at the head of imf. Kind of a good guy kind of bad guy. But he. They keep his character throughout the movies.

[Amy Robach]

And yes. And so yes, all of these folks have familiar faces and familiar work.

[TJ Holmes]

What is the. Always forget the name of the show that Nicole Kidman helmed at the resort where they. All the strangers. The Microsoft.

[Amy Robach]

Oh, nine perfect strangers in it.

[TJ Holmes]

Yes, she was in that show as well.

[Amy Robach]

Yes, yes, yes, yes.

[TJ Holmes]

She was in the Babysitter. She's just a quirky. You know what? She's a pretty blonde woman who plays these very quirky characters that aren't sexy. They're not playing characters who are trying to be sexy. They're hilarious, they're funny, self deprecating. She nails and owns that in all of her roles.

[Jonathan Goldstein]

And.

[TJ Holmes]

And she does it once again. She is wonderful. What was the other thing she was.

[Amy Robach]

I was surprised to see that, you know, she's 33 years old. I think she. I feel like she's so much younger than she is, but yeah, she is. I'm trying to look at some of the other. The other things she's been in.

[TJ Holmes]

She. If you saw the most recent. The New when they redid Scream recently, she was in an opening sequence. She was, you know what? She was essentially playing the role that Drew Barrymore did and having an open sequence in which she gets killed. Even doing that, she's just wonderful. I love it. Love, love.

[Amy Robach]

She is amazing. So yes. And the directors are the same ones of Abigail. If you liked Abigail, if you watched Abigail, that was a fun one too. And it is in the same vein where it's like this horror comedy. It works. Tyler Gillette and Matt Bettinelli, Olpin, I hope I said their names correctly to.

[TJ Holmes]

Compare it to Abigail. They put somebody in a role you don't expect. There's a vicious vampire in the shape of a 10 year old girl in ballerina slippers. And this is kind of that same thing. You see a bride in this wonderful dress. Everybody put together, everybody's got their tuxes and every out here engaged in the most brutal hunt, cat and miles game ever.

[Amy Robach]

Yes. I love it. So Rotten Tomatoes, they loved it too. The score, 89% which is extremely high and the audience score 78%. And so maybe it was just a little too. Maybe the concept was a little too much to stomach for some folks. But yeah, this is definitely a well reviewed movie.

[TJ Holmes]

You know, you look at this stuff more than I do. What is considered good, bad, I assume anything in the 90s, but 78 seems really good to me. And you were like, it's a little.

[Amy Robach]

Well, no, I, Yes, I, I would have expected it to be higher, to be honest. I just thought it was that good of a movie. But I'm always surprised by the rotten tomato scores. I do feel validated when I agree with them and I feel outraged when I think they got it wrong. But the critic consensus was this. And I think this perfect, smart, subversive and darkly funny, Ready or not, is a crowd pleasing horror film with giddily entertaining bite.

[TJ Holmes]

Dark is a good word for it. It's pretty dark. This is a pretty dark. But they balance it with comedy. Usually it doesn't get. We've seen dark horror movies, right, where it's something about the underworld or possession or things like that. It's not that kind of dark. It's just kind of.

[Amy Robach]

The concept is dark.

[TJ Holmes]

Yeah, just that, the brutality of it. But they juxtapose it with a wedding, they juxtapose it with comedy. They. It offsets beautifully.

[Amy Robach]

To me, I mean even the kids, like, you know, when kids are playing a role in a wedding, you know, they're the ring bearer or the flower. They're even involved in the hunt. So yes, in that way, it is dark. All right, we've got some critic reviews to give you a sense of what the professionals have said about this film. By the end of Ready or Not, each character feels fleshed out, the rituals feel both insane and logical and the whole experience feels like a blood soaked roller coaster ride you can't wait to get back in line for. That's actually a really good way to put it. I love that one. Here's another. A super smart B movie that offers a dark, splattery note on the margins of society's growing divisions. The that might be a little too heady for me. I wasn't looking at it from a cultural perspective or what it said about us as a, as a people, but.

[TJ Holmes]

Okay, ruined the movie for me there with that review.

[Amy Robach]

Don't overthink it. Like at some point I'm like, I understand their job is to be critical, but sometimes a movie just is what it is and they're not trying to make some. And maybe they were trying to make a larger point. I didn't take that away from watching the film. But hey, if you do and it means something to you, great.

[TJ Holmes]

But it's cool to disagree and that'd be okay.

[Amy Robach]

Yes, I think it's interesting to see other people's reactions to reflections upon watching the movie. Here's another one. Ready or not brings a new twist to the familiar story of trying to impress your soon to be in laws by combining horror, mystery and a little bit classic screwball comedy.

[TJ Holmes]

Screwball. That's a good way to put it. All of these characters as well, even though they have serious roles, they. They have a little screwball on their resume.

[Amy Robach]

Yes.

[TJ Holmes]

This was a perfect cast for this. Well, in the old. The grandmother is in there too.

[Amy Robach]

Yes. I mean everybody's in on it.

[TJ Holmes]

She's one of my favorites. Yes, she does some weird stuff. She is probably the most brutal killer of them all.

[Amy Robach]

Which is funny because grandmas are not typically. Yes. Put like that into movies. All right, ready or not, here's another one. Accomplishes exactly what it set out to do. It delivers a fun, entertaining 90 minute hide and seek game as we've never seen before. Totally perfect. Spot on. Loved all of those reviews for the most part. But yeah, I think that's exactly the best way to put it. This is one of those fun, entertaining crowd pleasers and it's certainly why it made our list. But tj, this was your favorite, so I don't know. How did you. How did you describe it to me for. You were really excited about watching this.

[TJ Holmes]

Movie with me because this was one of the earlier entries for us. We've gotten into it more lately. But horror comedy, horror comedy is so, so good because it does. Does. Especially if they can pull off both genres, like in being true to both of them. And this is one of the rare ones that does. And again you throw in this cat. This is another one. Excellent cast with excellent credentials. But they're able to pull off the idea that on your wedding day your in laws have to hunt you down and kill you for some ritual. That's silly.

[Amy Robach]

Yes. But didn't you love. So sometimes you can have a silly premise like this and it's. It's executed well, but they always have a tough time with the ending. I have to say I loved this ending.

[TJ Holmes]

Yes.

[Amy Robach]

This ending is worth the wait.

[TJ Holmes]

Yeah. You don't see this one coming.

[Amy Robach]

Is. I did not see it coming.

[TJ Holmes]

It was perfect.

[Amy Robach]

I laughed out loud. I was actually kind of appalled at myself for laughing, but I was okay with it because it's a movie and it's not real life. But I thought the ending was spectacular.

[TJ Holmes]

And she played a big role. Not, not of course she played a big role, but her acting and how she pulled off and how she almost made it okay for you to laugh at some of the stuff you were seeing. It's. And again, we have to say it's pretty brutal and uncomfortable at times. A couple of the moments of there's some. Some pain I should say that she has to endure that makes you a little squeamish. But this is a fun one. And again, she is a big part of the reason I love this movie. I will watch anything that she's out.

[Amy Robach]

All right, coming up after the break, we're going to tell you who it's for, who it's not, for what to pair it with where you can watch it and tease ahead to number 16, which will drop tomorrow.

[Asma Khalid]

America is changing and so is the world.

[Tristan Redman]

But what's happening in America isn't just the cause of global upheaval. It's also a symptom of disruption that's happening everywhere.

[Asma Khalid]

I'm Asma Khalid in Washington, D.C. i'm.

[Tristan Redman]

Tristan Redman in London, and this is the global story.

[Asma Khalid]

Every weekday, we'll bring you a story from this intersection where the world and America meet.

[Tristan Redman]

Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Narrator (Hell in Heaven)]

In the new podcast, Hell in Heaven, two young Americans move to the Costa Rican jungle to start over. But one will end up dead. The other tried for murder not once. People went wild, not twice, stunned, but three times. John and Anne Bender are rich and attractive and they're devoted to each other. They create a nature reserve and build a spectacular circular home high on the top of a hill. But little by little, their dream starts to crumble and our couple retreat from reality.

[TJ Holmes]

They lose it. They actually lose it.

[Amy Robach]

They sort of went nuts.

[Narrator (Hell in Heaven)]

Until one night, everything spins out of control. Listen to Hell in Heaven on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

[TJ Holmes]

All I know is what I've been told, and that to Half truth is a whole lie.

[Maggie Freeling]

For almost a decade, the murder of an 18 year old girl from a small town in Graves County, Kentucky went unsolved until a local homemaker, a journalist, and a handful of girls came forward with a story.

[TJ Holmes]

I'm telling you, we know Quincy killed it.

[Maggie Freeling]

We know a story that law enforcement used to convict six people and that got the citizen investigator on national tv.

[Johnny Knoxville]

Through sheer persistence and nerve, this Kentucky housewife helped give justice to Jessica Curran.

[Maggie Freeling]

My name is Maggie Freeling. I'm a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist producer, and I wouldn't be here if the truth were that easy to find.

[Jonathan Goldstein]

I did not know her and I.

[TJ Holmes]

Did not kill her or rape or burn or any of that other stuff.

[Tristan Redman]

That y' all said.

[Amy Robach]

They literally made me say that I took a match and struck and threw it on her. They made me say that I poured gas on her.

[Maggie Freeling]

From lava for good. This is Graves County, a show about just how far our legal system will go in order to find someone to blame.

[TJ Holmes]

America, y' all better wake the hell up. Bad things happens to good people and small towns.

[Maggie Freeling]

Listen to Graves county in the Bone Valley feed on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And to binge the entire season ad free. Subscribe to Lava for Good plus on Apple Podcasts.

[Jonathan Goldstein]

I'm Jonathan Goldstein, and on the new season of Heavyweight, I help a centenarian mend a broken how can.

[Amy Robach]

A 101-year-old woman fall in love again?

[Jonathan Goldstein]

And I help a man atone for an armed robbery he committed at 14 years old. And so I pointed the gun at him and said, this isn't a joke. And he got down. And I remember feeling kind of a surge of like, okay, this is power Plus. My old friend Gregor and his brother tried to solve my problems through hypnotism.

[TJ Holmes]

We could give you a whole brand new thing where you're like super charming.

[Amy Robach]

All the time being more able to.

[TJ Holmes]

Look people in the eye, not always hide behind a microphone.

[Jonathan Goldstein]

Listen to heavyweight on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Michael Lewis]

Michael Lewis here. My book the Big Short tells the story of the buildup and burst of the US housing market back in 2008. It follows a few unlikely but lucky people who saw the real estate market for the black hole it would become and eventually made billions of dollars from that perception. It was like feeding the monster, said Eisman. We fed the monster until it blew up. The monster was exploding. Yet on the streets of Manhattan, there was no sign anything important had just happened. Now, 15 years after the Big Short's original release and a decade after it became an Academy Award winning movie, I've recorded an audiobook edition for the very first time. The Big Short story, what it means when people start betting against the market and who really pays for an unchecked financial system is as relevant today as it's ever been, offering invaluable insight into the current economy and also today's politics. Get the Big Short now at Pushkin FM or wherever audiobooks are sold.

[Amy Robach]

Continuing now on our number 17 on our horror hit list. Ready or not, It's a. A wedding party like you've never seen. You know the wedding's over, you go hang out with your new family, you celebrate, you sit around, you gather and you play a few games. Maybe even, probably not this one, ready or not, hide and seek game where your life is literally on the line. And we loved every dark comedic moment of this movie. And yes, it does get a little gruesome. So who is this for? I think if you love a cat and mouse style horror film, this is exactly that. I mean, this is a specific genre that hide and seek, cat and mouse. But it's fun because there are a lot of twists and turns, there are some jump scares. Phenomenal acting. So I think if you appreciate that type of a movie, this is absolutely for you. You also have to be okay with some, some gore and some dark subject matters. And yes, you have to have a little bit of a twisted mindset to laugh along with the actors. There were times when I was actually kind of almost ashamed that I was laughing, but I also knew it was intentional.

[TJ Holmes]

Yeah, some of it's so over the top and ridiculous, you shake your head. Slapstick. This is the most slapstick comedy I can come up with in a horror genre. It's hilarious. Some of the stuff is just insane. So if you, for a horror movie Fan. We're one. We're aficionados. We are crazy people. If you're in the middle of the road, I think, I think this movie covers a lot of horror movie fans, no matter where you are on that scale.

[Amy Robach]

Correct.

[TJ Holmes]

I think this can do it for you. And I think even if you're not a horror movie fan, this movie is funny enough to carry through as just a comedy, as entertainment.

[Amy Robach]

I agree, I agree. You just have to have a willingness to accept dark humor. But yes, I do believe comedy is at the top of this. Now. Who is it not for? I think if you really want to be scared, I'm. You're not scared watching this movie. I mean, it's thrilling and you're watching with deep anticipation. But I didn't feel physically nervous or scared or any of those things. So if you're wanting a scary, scary movie, this isn't it. But also if you don't, if you just can't stomach the idea of humans hunting humans, I understand that if that's too much for you, if that topic is just something you stay away from, then definitely don't watch this movie. But I do think it's all done in the spirit of humor. So it lightens it, it doesn't feel heavy even though it's dark. It's not heavy, but still just a caution to people who just turn their noses at that concept.

[TJ Holmes]

I don't think this movie is for anybody getting married soon. Don't watch this. Just get through the wedding and then watch the movie and it'll be fine. You've already made the commitment. But this will make you think about your in laws and what you know and what you don't know.

[Amy Robach]

Especially if they have some castle, remote castle and mysterious wealth that you don't know. The source of that would be of concern after watching this movie.

[TJ Holmes]

And lots of ancient weapons posted on the walls, you know, as decoration. No, this is. Of course this is over the top, but it does make you think about it. Well, they always say you, you, you can marry your spouse. You, you can pick your spouse. You can't pick your spouse's family. So this is one of those things that make you think about what other question you might need to ask.

[Amy Robach]

Cautionary tale. It's a cautionary tale in a horror movie. Sure. All right. What you should pair this with? Well, why not give it a wedding theme? I mean, just go all in. So all about champagne and cake with this movie. It's fun to watch with the group. So go ahead and make it a Party atmosphere. I think just to lean into the theme and have some fun with it is the right way to go. But this is absolutely a champagne style kind of movie. Beer, whatever your fun drink is, go to drink. This is. This is a party movie that just gets a little bloody.

[TJ Holmes]

I would maybe. This is not. This is a little bit of a date night movie.

[Amy Robach]

I think so.

[TJ Holmes]

Because it does make you start to ask questions of each other and of your maybe families. But it also robes. I forgot about this until now. She's marrying into this family, but she's marrying the guy she loves. He ends up being torn. You ask those questions, right? The loyalty to the family, loyalty to the person he just married. There were some fun questions in there, like Love island type questions.

[Amy Robach]

That's true.

[TJ Holmes]

And that you would pluck out.

[Amy Robach]

The nice thing about, like you actually are rooting for the characters, even the ones that are devilish, so to speak, you still like them.

[TJ Holmes]

They're likable.

[Amy Robach]

They're all likable, which is hard to do in a movie like this. And I think that's part of what makes it work so well, is that you like all of the individual characters, even as they're doing dastardly things.

[TJ Holmes]

They have despicable traits. But there's still characters you enjoy watching. Oh, yeah, I don't. I can't think of anybody that turned me off necessarily in this movie.

[Amy Robach]

No, it. No, this is a fun, awesome movie. We highly, highly, highly recommend Ready or Not, please. We love for you to give it a try. We feel free. By the way, on our Instagram page, Amy and TJ podcast. Love to hear your thoughts on each of these movies, what you're thinking of them. We have. We haven't gone through and looked at some of the comments, but I bet they're fun. So love to hear what you think of this one. So our next movie, number 16, that will be coming to you tomorrow. We'll tease it like this. This movie has one of the creepiest props we have ever seen in a movie. I mean, very unique, very creative. It's all set in a remote country house. And I would say don't watch this next one alone.

[TJ Holmes]

No, don't. I agree with that. It might be one of the one or two, maybe three creepiest movies on our list, for sure.

[Amy Robach]

Very excited about bringing this one to you next. And thank you all for listening to us on this countdown to Halloween. I'm Amy Robach alongside T.J. holmes. We will talk to you soon.

[Asma Khalid]

America is changing and so is the world.

[Tristan Redman]

But what's happening in America isn't just the cause of global upheaval. It's also a symptom of disruption that's happening everywhere.

[Asma Khalid]

I'm Asma Khalid in Washington, D.C. i'm.

[Tristan Redman]

Tristan Redman in London, and this is the global Story.

[Asma Khalid]

Every weekday we'll bring you a story from this intersection where the world and America meet.

[Tristan Redman]

Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Johnny Knoxville]

Johnny Knoxville here. Check out Crimeless Hillbilly Heist, my new true crime podcast from Smartless Media, Campside Media and big money players. It's the true story of the almost perfect crime and the nimrods who almost pulled it off. It was kind of like the perfect.

[TJ Holmes]

Storm in a sewer. That was dumb. Do not follow my example.

[Johnny Knoxville]

Listen to Crimeless Hillbilly Heist on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.

[Narrator (Hell in Heaven)]

Two rich young Americans move to the Costa Rican jungle to start over. But one of them will end up dead and the other tried for murder three times. It starts with a dream, a nature reserve and a spectacular new home. But little by little, they lose it.

[TJ Holmes]

They actually lose it.

[Narrator (Hell in Heaven)]

They sort of went nuts until one night, everything spins out of control. Listen to Hell in Heaven on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Maggie Freeling]

The murder of an 18 year old girl in Graves County, Kentucky went unsolved for years until a local housewife, a journalist and a handful of girls came forward with a story.

[TJ Holmes]

America, y' all better wake the hell up. Bad things happens to good people in small towns.

[Maggie Freeling]

Listen to Graves county on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast. And to binge the entire series season ad free. Subscribe to Lava for Good plus on Apple Podcasts.

[Jonathan Goldstein]

I'm Jonathan Goldstein and on the new season of Heavyweight. And so I pointed the gun at him and said, this isn't a joke. A man who robbed a bank when he was 14 years old and a centenarian rediscovers a love lost 80 years ago.

[Amy Robach]

How can 101-year-old woman fall in love again?

[Jonathan Goldstein]

Listen to heavyweight on the iHeartRadio radio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Amy Robach]

This is an I heart podcast.