Deep Cuts Horror Hit List #22 “Sinister”

Summary

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Amy Robach & T.J. Holmes Present

Deep Cuts Horror Hit List #22: “Sinister”
October 10, 2025 · iHeartPodcasts

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Episode Overview

In this episode, Amy Robach and TJ Holmes dive deep into Sinister (2015), their 22nd pick on their “Horror Hit List” of underappreciated and truly terrifying horror movies. They explore why this film, starring Ethan Hawke, stands out from the genre, its chilling impact, and even share a personal story of a “Sinister”-esque find in their own home. Listeners receive a thorough critique, discuss who “Sinister” is for (and who should avoid it), and get pointers on maximizing their viewing experience.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

What Makes “Sinister” So Scary?

• Both hosts agree: this film lingers and haunts long after the credits roll.
  • Amy: “It is very intense and graphic and blood curdling… This one stays with you. It haunts you.” (03:54)
• The premise of moving into a murder house for the sake of a “true crime” story is chilling, especially when the family is unaware.
  • TJ: “After you watch this movie, you’re never going to step into a basement or an attic again and touch anything that looks like it’s been there for a while.” (04:29)

Plot & Character Discussion

• Plot summary: Ethan Hawke stars as Ellison Oswalt, a true crime writer desperate for a hit, who moves his unaware family into the house where horrific murders occurred. He uncovers grisly Super 8 footage pointing to a supernatural origin.
• Discussion of immediate tension:
  • Amy: “That was immediate tension that starts from the beginning because you’re like, does his wife know…?” (06:26)

The Cast & Creative Team

• Strong praise for Ethan Hawke’s convincing everyman performance; shout-outs to Fred Thompson, Vincent D’Onofrio, and Claire Foley.
• They underline the role of director Scott Derrickson.
  • TJ: “He is just so believable at this everyman quality... and he always looks like he’s a little bit of pain. There’s emotion to him always.” (07:17)

Box Office & Reception

• Sinister grossed $87.7 million on a $3 million budget.
• Surprised by the film’s modest Rotten Tomatoes scores (Critics: 64%, Audience: 62%).
  • Amy reads and critiques the “critic consensus” and more mixed reviews. (07:51)
  • Both defend the film’s unpredictability and originality.
  • Amy: “I did not predict the ending at all.” (10:25)

Atmosphere: Music, Tension, & Visuals

• They repeatedly emphasize how the audio track ratchets up suspense, on par with the visual scares.
  • Amy: “The music is so good at building tension… the audio track… is just as effective as the visual.” (09:26)
• This is a “slow build” horror movie—relentless tension, little relief.
  • TJ: “Even when it’s not… whatever supernatural, whatever thing is out there. Even the moments with his wife… there are some tense fights… You get no relief. There is no joy.” (10:43)

The Critic & Audience Reviews

• Amy and TJ share their favorite (and least favorite) professional and audience reviews, reacting with passion and sometimes mock outrage.
  • Amy (reading critic): “Cheapened scare sequences, an ambiguous monstrous myth… barely puts any sinister thoughts in our heads worth contemplating. That is offensive.” (12:02)
• Audience testimonials highlight Sinister’s impact even on horror genre veterans.
  • Amy: “This is one of the scariest movies ever. … I use horror movies to sleep on sometimes… but this one is scary.” (13:14)
  • TJ: “An element that makes this particularly scary is the fact that it’s kind of a found footage movie…” (13:28)
• Multiple mentions of “haunting images”—scenes that “once you’ve seen… you can never unsee them.” (14:16)

Their “Real Life” Sinister Experience

[21:37]

• The hosts recount moving into their new apartment and finding a mysterious, old metal box full of picture slides deeply buried in the closet—eerily reminiscent of the film’s premise.
  • TJ: “I opened this box and there are perfectly organized in there, slides, these picture slides… some labeled with years on them in 19, I think, 50s and 1960s.” (22:35)
  • Amy: “I'm telling you, it was so scary.” (25:57)
  • Their exchange by text (read aloud on-air) is a highlight, as they debate if the slides are objectively creepy—Amy insists anyone would be freaked out.

Who Should (and Shouldn’t) Watch Sinister

• This movie is a tough, intense watch not for everyone.
  • Amy: “This movie is for anyone who wants to be scared shitless. Bottom line. You also have to be okay with entire families being murdered.” (26:27)
  • TJ: “A lot of people hear everything you just described and are like, why would anybody appreciate, want to see and God forbid enjoy a movie like that? … It’s a fun experience. You will enjoy watching this movie if…” (26:51)
• They defend horror fandom as escapism and insist this film is for genre fans who want “a real event” and to truly be scared.

How To Watch, What to Eat/Drink, and Final Thoughts

• Viewing advice:
  • Amy: “Have drinks before. Have dinner before. I don't think that this is appetite-inducing… keep [snacks] non-acidic … you don’t want to contribute to the bubbles you’re already going to feel in your gut watching this movie.” (28:15)
• Streaming: Available on Hulu, Amazon Prime with an add-on, Disney+, and free with Tubi. (28:55)
• Tease: The next episode features another horror favorite, with an especially gripping start. (29:36)

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Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• On horror realism:

  • TJ: “America, y’ all better wake the hell up. Bad things happen to good people and small towns.” (00:51)

• On moving into “Sinister”-style houses:

  • Amy: “When you do move, if you move into a new home, you’re probably going to search the attic, some closets, maybe even the basement for anything that could have been left behind. Because this movie speaks to that.” (03:54)

• On film tone:

  • Amy: “It’s so absurdly awful and supernatural too, that you feel like it’s a departure from actual issues. But it could cut too close for home for people… It is a tough watch, you know.” (27:25)

• On their “Sinister” apartment moment:

  • Amy (reading their texts): “I found some creepy horror movie shit in the house. Legitimately spooked me … I stopped looking after holding a few up to the light. I’m talking 150 plus slides with the pictures perfectly organized.” (24:13)
  • TJ: “Anybody else might have found those and thought nothing of it… We found the box. Immediately think about Sinister...” (25:57)
  • Amy: “If you guys saw these photos, I'm telling you, there's no one who wouldn't be freaked out. Even if you hadn't seen the movie Sinister, they would still be creepy.” (26:11)

• On who “Sinister” is for:

  • Amy: “You also have to be okay with entire families being murdered. If you’re not on board with that in a horror movie, you should not watch this movie.” (26:27)

• On horror as fun:

  • TJ: “It is a movie experience… It’s great storytelling… It is a fun experience. You will enjoy watching this movie if you like that kind of thing.” (26:51)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [03:15] — Start of “Sinister” discussion and premise
• [04:57] — Ethan Hawke and the cast
• [07:51] — Rotten Tomatoes, critics, and audience scores
• [09:26] — Music, sound design, and scare style
• [12:02] — Sharpest (negative) critical review read and reactions
• [13:14] — Notable audience reviews
• [21:37] — Their personal “creepy box in the attic” story
• [26:27] — “Who is this movie (not) for?”
• [28:53] — Where to watch “Sinister”
• [29:36] — Teaser for next episode

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Summary & Takeaways

• Sinister (2015) is a standout entry in Amy and TJ’s “Horror Hit List” for its unique scares, relentless tension, and frighteningly immersive atmosphere.
• Not a film for everyone—viewers should have a strong stomach and appreciation for true, unsettling horror.
• The movie’s impact is so profound that it seeped into their real lives, making even an innocuous discovery seem laden with supernatural threat.
• Highly recommended for horror fans seeking a genuine scare—watch with the lights off and a friend close by.

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Transcript

[Amy Robach]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[TJ Holmes]

Hey audiobook lovers. I'm Kalpen. I'm Ed Helms. Ed and I are inviting you to join the best sounding book club you've ever heard with our new podcast, Irsay The Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club. Each week we sit down with your favorite iHeart podcast hosts and some very special guests to discuss the latest and greatest audiobooks from audible. Listen to Earsay on America's number one podcast network, iHeart. Follow Earsay and start listening listening on the free iHeartradio app. Today.

[Amy Robach]

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 and small towns.

[Amy Robach]

Listen to Graves county 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. It's Ana Ortiz and I'm Markin Delicato. You might know us as Hilda and Justin from Ugly Betty.

[TJ Holmes]

Welcome to our new podcast, Viva Betty.

[Amy Robach]

We're re watching from start to finish and getting into all the fashions, the drama and the behind the scenes moments that you've never heard before.

[TJ Holmes]

But you were still bartending. I didn't know that.

[Amy Robach]

The bar back is like is that you and I turn around and it's a commercial for Betty. And I was like I gotta go.

[TJ Holmes]

I quit. Listen to Viva Betty on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up everybody? It's Nax from the Trap nerds. And all October long we're bringing you the horror. Boogity boogity boogity. We kicking off this month with some of my best horro horror games to keep you terrified. Then we'll be talking about our favorite horror and Halloween movies and figuring out why black people always die first. And it's the return of Tony's horror show side Quest, written and narrated by yours truly. We'll also be doing a full episode reading with commentary and we'll cap it off with a horror movie Battle Royale. Open your free iHear radio app and search Trapped Nerds podcast and listen now.

[Amy Robach]

In early 1988, federal agents raced to track down the gang they suspect of importing millions of dollars worth of heroin into New York from as had 30.

[TJ Holmes]

Agents ready to go with shotguns and.

[Amy Robach]

Rifles and you name it Five, six white people pushed me in the car. I'm going, what the hell?

[TJ Holmes]

Basically, your stay at home moms were.

[Amy Robach]

Picking up these large amounts of heroin. All you gotta do is receive the package.

[TJ Holmes]

Don't have to open it, just accept it. She was very upset, crying. Once I saw the gun, I tried to take his hand and I saw.

[Amy Robach]

The flash of light. Listen to the Chinatown sting on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or anywhere you get your podcasts.

[TJ Holmes]

Hey there, folks, it is Friday, October 10th, and yes, I'm sure there have been plenty of horror movies you've watched and thought, nah, that'll never happen to me. Well, this one just happen to me and Robok. And welcome to this episode of Amy and TJ as we continue on our horror hit list as we count down to our favorite deep cut horror movies, some that you might not know about. These are some of our favorites. And robes. This one is a heavy hitter on the list. And yes, we'll explain our kind of connection to the story. But this is not a horror movie for the faint of heart.

[Amy Robach]

No, it is not. It is very intense and graphic and blood curdling. I mean, I think that's the best way to describe it. This one stays with you. It haunts you. It makes you actually. And when you do move, if you move into a new home, you're probably gonna search the attic, some closets, maybe even the basement for anything that could have been left behind. Because this movie speaks to that. And yes, we've recently moved or often.

[TJ Holmes]

Or you might, you said people are going to look and maybe into the basement and into the attic. I would argue that after you watch this movie, you're never going to step into a basement or an attic again and touch anything that looks like it's been there for a while. It's. This is a wild ride. But this is one of our. I mean, this is, this guy has got to be a top five as far as an actor you enjoy watching. He's pretty incredible.

[Amy Robach]

Yes, we're talking about Ethan hawke and the 2015 movie Sinister. And man, that is a good title for this movie because I actually felt my stomach in knots throughout this movie. You feel something. Well, but like there are people who are like, hell yeah now strange like us who get into that kind of idea where, wow, I've seen it all, I've watched it all. You're telling me that this movie is going to make me actually feel something that strongly? I think that, yes, the answer is yes. The runtime is an hour and 49 minutes of sheer terror. By the way, rated R horror mystery thriller is the genre, but the synopsis is fascinating and, as we mentioned, potentially real.

[TJ Holmes]

Yes. So here you go. The movie is about true crime writer Ellison Oswald. He's in a slump. He hasn't had a bestseller in more than 10 years and is becoming increasingly desperate for a hit. So when he discovers the existence of a snuff film showing the deaths of a family, he vows to solve the mystery. He moves his own family into the victim's home and gets to work. However, when old film footage and other clues hint at the presence of a supernatural force, Ellison learns that living in the house may be fatal.

[Amy Robach]

Yeah. What could possibly go wrong? Let me move my family into a murdered family's home so I can write about it, but not tell my family that we're moving into that family's home. That was immediate tension that starts from the beginning of the movie because you're like, does his wife know that he's moving them to this home?

[TJ Holmes]

We watched this recently and I asked you several times, does she know yet?

[Amy Robach]

Not yet. Not yet. But, you know, this was a huge success at the box office. The budget was just $3 million to make the box office total 87.7 million. So a juggernaut of a horror movie, especially, I think, back in 2015.

[TJ Holmes]

Now, the cast we mentioned, like Ethan Hawke is, I think he gets credit for how good of an actor he is.

[Amy Robach]

He's amazing.

[TJ Holmes]

He is just so believable at this everyman quality of him. You're rooting for him, and he always looks like he's a little bit of pain. There's emotion to him always. I love Ethan Hawke, but Fred Thompson. Yes, Senator. He's in the movie of Tennessee. Has a. He's not in there a lot, but he has a huge impact when he's in there. Vincent d'. Onofrio.

[Amy Robach]

So good.

[TJ Holmes]

All Love, which he was SVU for a while.

[Amy Robach]

Yes.

[TJ Holmes]

Law and Order. Yes. And then Claire Foley, who is powerful in her role as well. Scott Derrickson, I don't know his previous work, but that's the director of this film, Rotten Tomatoes. I was surprised to see this.

[Amy Robach]

Yeah. It only got 64% and the audience score just at 62%. And it was interesting. They put together all the critic critics from all over, and they call it the critic consensus. I actually was a little confused by this a little bit, but because it seems like it's a good critic synopsis. Although the score is less than what you would anticipate for a movie like this. So here's what it reads. Its plot hinges on typically implausible horror movie behavior. Yeah, I was screaming at the. At the TV a couple times at the Ethan Hawke character. Like get out, you idiot. Why are you keep. Why do you keep watching that? Anyway, it's plot hinges on typically implausible horror movie behavior. But we love that and recycles countless genre cliches. But Sinister delivers a surprising number of fresh diabolical twists.

[TJ Holmes]

This is the jumpy one. This one. There are some moments you have that surround sound up in the house. It's gonna mess with you.

[Amy Robach]

So we've watched this movie several times, but we rewatched it just before recording this. And I was embarrassed how many times I jumped. Even though I knew it was coming. Even though I knew something was about to happen and. And still I jumped.

[TJ Holmes]

And it's not the. The jumps where the monster jumps out and attacks and violence ensues. It's creepy stuff, just even something falling with a loud noise accompanying it or a face that shows up or a person that shows. It's surprising moments you aren't expecting. And they throw you off by giving you an image you weren't ready for.

[Amy Robach]

We both mentioned how good the music is in this particular film. The music is so good at building tension, at creating some of the suspense. The audio track in this film is just as effective as the visual. I think in this one particularly it was of note because that was contributing significantly to my level of tension and terror throughout all of it. But it's visually also incredibly scary. So we've got some critic reviews and these are always interesting and I always like to either feel validated or outraged at what the critics say, but most of them were pretty good. I got a. I got a bad one in here. But this is a slow build type of horror film where most of the audience can see the end game long before the characters in the film. Thus the screaming at the tv. Even so, it's well crafted piece of work with some genuinely scary moments.

[TJ Holmes]

I don't think it was a G. They said, I don't think it's predictable.

[Amy Robach]

I did not predict the end.

[TJ Holmes]

I don't think it's predictable.

[Amy Robach]

I did not predict the ending at all. So I guess someone who maybe thinks they know more or maybe does know more actually was able to predict it. I thought this one was good too. An interesting beast that combines both classic and modern scares to create a film that should have you whimpering in your seat by the end.

[TJ Holmes]

Yes, it's it grabs you and it won't let go. There's not a lot of moments of relief in this movie. Even when it's not. You're not worried about the whatever supernatural, whatever thing is out there. Even the moments with his wife. Like there are some tense fights that are uncomfortable and so tension is there throughout. You get no relief. There is no joy.

[Amy Robach]

The only relief is from the sweet deputy who helps Ethan Hawke in his investigation. And that was almost. It was so needed. There was this lighter, cute moments that he created that we appreciated.

[TJ Holmes]

And you know what he was and a lot of times was common sense. He was all of us, like he was our guy because thank you for telling him that.

[Amy Robach]

Yes, he's lost in his artistic writer world and can't see truth from fiction, but this guy really like, I did appreciate that character. I do want to read an ouch one because I again, I actually felt outraged by this critique. This critic writes cheapened scare sequences, an ambiguous monstrous myth, transparent characterizations and a mixed bag of a supernatural storyline barely put any sinister thoughts in our heads worth contemplating. That is offensive.

[TJ Holmes]

Okay, if that's your opinion. And again, this is what they are. These are opinions. And I guess these are professional. I don't know if that's a professional critic or not, but people have their opinions. Those.

[Amy Robach]

That was a professional critic, by the way. I mean, whatever that is. But yes, was labeled as an official critic. Now there was a recent one. Again, I love these because I do feel like, like some of these movies that we have on our list who weren't appreciated at the time have garnered more appreciation as time goes by. So this recent one, just this past year, I liked this. I can see why people like this movie and keep bringing it up to us. It has it. It's got a distinctive dark tone while still being very approachable for mainstream audiences. It's like if the crow had a baby with the nun from the Conjuring.

[TJ Holmes]

Oh, my gosh. Okay.

[Amy Robach]

All right. The audience reviews, I think are some of the most fun ones because these are real people like us. And most of them that I saw there were. Some of them were like, whatever, dismissive of it. But these were some of the ones that I really liked. Honestly, this is one of the scariest movies ever. It's not like the Exorcist or Hereditary, for example, but a total different kind of horror movie. Yet it's super scary. And I use horror movies to sleep on sometimes as a background same. So I'm not easily scared. But this one is Scary.

[TJ Holmes]

Yes.

[Amy Robach]

The score, the atmosphere, the subject matter, the cinematography and of course one of my favorite actors, Ethan Hawke, are just perfect.

[TJ Holmes]

You know, we didn't necessarily mention, but she brings it up. An element that makes this particularly scary is the fact that it's kind of a found footage movie and he's going through this old 8 millimeter film. Something about that is even hearing that.

[Amy Robach]

The hum of the. Yes, okay. Someone else wrote this is one of the most creepy, disturbing movies I've ever seen. That's totally on brand. And then here's another one. This is hands down one of the scariest movies I've ever seen. It gave me the same nightmarish feelings as the original Nightmare on Elm Street. Worth a watch. Spoiler alert. Once you've seen some parts of this movie, you can never unsee them. So agree with that.

[TJ Holmes]

Yeah, there are some images. Haunting is a good way to put it. There are some haunting images in there.

[Amy Robach]

Disturbing, haunting, scary. Like this is scary. Like our last movie, Lake Placid. Not that scary. We thought we'd do a complete about face and go really, really scary with sinister. So why it made our list. Yes, that's it. It's one of the scariest and creepiest movies ever we have ever seen.

[TJ Holmes]

And you this, yes, this is one where this is an event. This is an event for you to sit and enjoy and be prepared. I always say, right. We've been talking about through this series, people watch other movies, you experience a horror movie and this one hits everything. The sound, the sight, your heart rate's going to go up. It you are immersed in this movie.

[Amy Robach]

And you're not just under threat. When you're watching this movie, you're imagining your entire family, family is under threat. And that's part of what makes it so scary. This isn't just about you facing evil. This is about you placing evil in the home or you putting your family in harm's way. That is part of the scariness of this movie. Now when we come back, we're going to tell you about our own sinister experience and then we'll talk about who it's for, who it's not, for, what you should pair it with and of course give you a tease for the next movie on our list.

[TJ Holmes]

All I know is what I've been told. And that's a half truth is a whole lie.

[Amy Robach]

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 her.

[Amy Robach]

We know a story that law enforcement used to convict six people and that got the citizen investigator on national tv. Through sheer persistence and nerve, this Kentucky housewife helped give justice to Jessica Curran. 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.

[TJ Holmes]

I did not know her and I did not kill her or rape or burn or any of that other stuff.

[Amy Robach]

That y' all said. 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 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.

[Amy Robach]

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.

[TJ Holmes]

Me.

[Amy Robach]

Do you want to hear the secrets of serial killers, psychopaths, pedophiles, robbers?

[TJ Holmes]

They are sitting there waiting for the vulnerable thing. They're waiting for the unprotected.

[Amy Robach]

I'm Dr. Leslie, forensic psychologist. I advocate for safety and awareness of predators while wearing pink. When you were described to me as a forensic psychologist, I was like, snooze. We ended up talking for hours and I was like, this girl is my best friend. This is a podcast where I cut through the noise with sarcasm, satire and hard truths. I am not going to fake it and force it, but would you force an orgasm? Because that's like a different layer. The car accident you didn't want to see but couldn't turn away from. In this episode, I discuss personal safety and self defense tools, instincts and strategies to protect yourself and your loved ones in everyday life and high risk situations. Listen to Intentionally disturbing on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. In early 1988, federal agents raced to track down the gang they suspect of importing millions of dollars worth of heroin into New York from Asia. We had 30 agents ready to go.

[TJ Holmes]

With shotguns and, you know, rifles and.

[Amy Robach]

You name it, but what they find is not what they expected.

[TJ Holmes]

Basically your stay at home moms were.

[Amy Robach]

Picking up these large amounts of heroin.

[TJ Holmes]

They go, is this your daughter? I said, yes. They go, oh, you may not see her for like 25 years.

[Amy Robach]

Caught between a federal investigation and the violent gang who recruited them. The women must decide who. Who they're willing to protect and who they dare to betray.

[TJ Holmes]

Once I saw the gun, I tried to take his hand and I saw.

[Amy Robach]

The flash of light. Listen to the Chinatown sting on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or anywhere you get your podcasts.

[TJ Holmes]

People called them murderers.

[Amy Robach]

Ten years later, they were gods. Today, no one knows their names.

[TJ Holmes]

A group of maverick surgeons who took.

[Amy Robach]

On the medical establishment who risked everything to invent open heart surgery.

[TJ Holmes]

Welcome to the wild west of American medicine. I'm Chris Pine and this is Cardiac Cowboys. If you like medical dramas, if you.

[Amy Robach]

Like heart pounding thrillers, you will love Cardiac Cowboys.

[TJ Holmes]

Listen on the iHeartRadio app or wherever.

[Amy Robach]

You listen to podcasts Sponsored by Jasper AI AI. Built for marketers. Welcome to Decoding Women's Health. I'm Dr. Elizabeth Poynter, Chair of Women's health and gynecology at the Atria Health Institute in New York City. On this show I'll be talking to top researchers and top clinicians, asking them your burning questions and bringing that information about women's health and midlife directly to you. 100% of women go through menopause. It can be such a struggle for our quality of life. But even if it's natural, why should we suffer through it? The types of symptoms that people talk about is forgetting everything. I never used to forget things. They're concerned that one, they have dementia and the other one is do I have adhd? There is unprecedented promise with regard to cannabis and cannabinoids to sleep better, to have less pain, to have better mood and also to have better day to day life. Listen to Decoding Women's Health with Dr. Elizabeth Poynter on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you're listening. We continue with number 22 on our list. Trying to keep count there. Sinister, one of the scariest movies we have ever seen in our lives and it just came top of mind to us as we just moved. A few weeks ago I ended up being away and you ended up sending me a text about something you found buried deep in a closet.

[TJ Holmes]

So the. Yes, we've been talking about Sinister. The whole premise of the movie, he moves his family to this home where these horrific murders took place and then he finds all this stuff, this old Super 8 film in the basement. He starts going through it and some disturbing stuff is on all this film. Obviously Robes and I, we've been familiar with this movie for Years, Years. So that's always in the back. We're just aware of that. So, yes, we move not too terribly long ago. And you did not spend. Well, we didn't spend the first month almost in the apartment together because you were traveling and we were traveling fine. But one of those weekends where I'm getting everything settled in. We have a storage closet and the top shell, I mean, these are high ceilings. But the top shelf and in the very, very back, like tucked away. How would you describe that box? It's a metal.

[Amy Robach]

It's a.

[TJ Holmes]

Almost a thin toolbox is how it's.

[Amy Robach]

It looks like a metal thin baby blue toolbox. And just by the color and materials used, you can tell it's old. It was in good condition, but it looked like it was from something from the 1950s.

[TJ Holmes]

And so I only discovered I couldn't see it from where I was. It was just so far up high. But I was trying to put another box up there and it wouldn't go all the way in. So I had to go get a ladder and see what it was. And sure enough, it was that. Now I am trying to look up, I'm trying to remember what my messages were to you at the time that this happened because it freaked me out terribly. I opened this box and there are perfectly organized in there, slides, these picture slides. And these things are some of them labeled with years on them in 19, I think, 50s and 1960s. And I held a few of them up to the light and it looked like they were images of art, like works of art. But then there were others that you saw images of people. And I got through about at least five of them and I said, hell no, I'm done.

[Amy Robach]

They were scary.

[TJ Holmes]

Are they or because of the movie? No, we're freaking out.

[Amy Robach]

I am telling you. Okay, I've got it. Okay. You just wrote. Yeah, I've got it all. Okay, here you go. I'm gonna read the.

[TJ Holmes]

Okay. So, yes, this is me. I'm home alone in a home that hasn't been necessarily filled in yet. There's a lot of space. So I was freaking out a little bit.

[Amy Robach]

Babe.

[TJ Holmes]

What?

[Amy Robach]

I found some creepy horror movie shit in the house. Legitimately spooked me. Then you took a picture of the box. That box was on the very top shelf and tucked in the very back of the shelf. Thought it might be a little toolkit. But it's filled with picture slides. Yes, old ass picture slides of various things. I stopped looking after holding a few up to the light. I'm talking 150 plus slides with the pictures perfectly organized. Then you send me a picture of a man standing with his shadow behind him. And I'm sorry, I don't want to say weird, but a weird looking woman behind him standing in an awkward thing with a weird shadow behind her. It's black and white. It's from the 19. It is actually. It says spring training 1965. And that sounds so much like Sinister because it's like sleepy time pool party with the date. So it's like literally labeled the same way. So sinister is. And it's like this man standing in like perfect formation with just like trunks on. It's weird. It looks like it's by a pool. So I said, holy. It's like that Ethan Hawke movie that is so scary and cool all at the same time. You write back, is it okay that we're cursing here? Creepy as. Want to throw them out, but I might get cursed. Oh, God. That's what you said. You said. Yeah, you were just like. And then I started zooming in on the pictures. We, I don't know, we can't probably put them online because they're someone else's photographs. But if I can please tell you that these are the scariest photos I have ever seen of people. I said, and I said, the guy looks like Patrick Wilson. He did in the movie. Anyway, I'm telling you, it was so scary.

[TJ Holmes]

Anybody else might have found those and thought nothing of it because they haven't seen Sinister and they're not horror movie freaks. We found the box. Immediately think about Sinister and say one picture is from the guy who was in conjuring an insidious.

[Amy Robach]

It's true, though. Okay, we have to find out who the owners of these are because I would love to actually just put. If you guys saw these photos, I'm telling you, there's no one who wouldn't be freaked out. Even if you hadn't seen the movie Sinister, they would still be creepy.

[TJ Holmes]

I'm sure they're innocent to other people.

[Amy Robach]

Okay.

[TJ Holmes]

It might just be us.

[Amy Robach]

Disagree. All right, so this movie is for anyone who wants to be scared shitless. Bottom line. I, I, you also have to be okay with entire families being murdered. If you're not on board with that in a horror movie, you should not watch this movie. So, yes. Who. It's not for anyone who can't handle that, who doesn't like a lot of dread and foreboding, because that's a huge part of this movie. And it's just, you have to have A tough stomach.

[TJ Holmes]

And we have, we should say ropes because a lot of people hear everything you just described. Like, why would anybody appreciate, want to see and God forbid, enjoy a movie like that? Well, because it is a movie experience. You see, obviously great acting, but there's great storytelling throughout. Like you said, it's great shot, it's great music and it's shot in a cool way. It is a. I'm sorry. It is a fun experience. You will enjoy watching this movie if.

[Amy Robach]

You like that kind of thing. It should be the caveat. We need that caveat.

[TJ Holmes]

It's for. It's kind of a family movie.

[Amy Robach]

No. God, no, it's not. I would say that the other thing, just to try and defend our like of this movie because once you see it, you probably will judge us if you aren't into that. But there's so much awful stuff that's going on in the world. It's. It's a form of escapism. And this might. It just. It. It's so absurdly awful and supernatural too, that you feel like it's a departure from actual issues. But it could cut too close for home for people. I just want to put that warning out there. It. It is. It is a tough watch, you know.

[TJ Holmes]

And it does well for us. It's a wonderful watch. Right. Because this is what I want to be scared. You know, we have a difficult time sometimes getting scared in a horror movie because we've seen so much, we know what's coming. This I. It's fun to be scared.

[Amy Robach]

Yes.

[TJ Holmes]

So this one will scare them.

[Amy Robach]

It will. And in terms of food, drink pairing, I'm gonna go ahead and say have drinks before. Have dinner before. I don't think that this is appetite inducing. This movie is really tough. Not because it's so gory, but because the material is so dark and sinister. So I would just. If you're going to have snacks or drinks, just keep them non acidic. That's what I would say bubbling up. You don't want to contribute to the bubbles you're already going to feel in your gut watching this movie. That's just my two cents on this one. So enjoy with all of that praise. All right, our next. Our next movie. We want to go. Oh, wait, where. Where can we watch this? This. We watched Sinister. Where? I didn't put that in there.

[TJ Holmes]

I think it was Amazon Prime.

[Amy Robach]

I think, I think you can watch it. Okay, Hulu, you can watch it. And Amazon prime, you have to have a subscription to either Disney plus. But you could always obviously all of these you can get on Apple TV Van Da @ home. But if you want to get it for free, O2B and if you have a Disney plus subscription, a Hulu subscription or if you have an add on to Amazon Prime. So just so you know, that's where you can watch it if you want to be scared to death. Our next episode is a movie that has one of our all time favorite horror movie actors in it. Oh yeah, right. And I believe the first 10 minutes will hook you for the entire movie.

[TJ Holmes]

That's a good goodies.

[Amy Robach]

All right. And with that, thank you for listening to this episode of Amy and tj. I'm Amy Robach alongside TJ Holmes. We will talk to you soon.

[TJ Holmes]

Hey audiobook lovers, I'm Cal Penn. I'm Ed Helms. Ed and I are inviting you to join the best sounding book club you've ever heard with our new podcast, Irsay The Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club. Each week we sit down with your favorite iHeart podcast hosts and some very special guests to discuss the latest and greatest audiobooks from Audible. Listen to Hearsay on America's number one podcast network. I heart follow Earsay and start listening on the free iHeartRadio app. Today.

[Amy Robach]

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.

[Amy Robach]

Listen to Graves county 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 Podcast, it's Anna Ortiz and I'm Markin Delicato. You might know us as Hilda and Justin from Ugly Betty.

[TJ Holmes]

Welcome to our new podcast, Be My Betty.

[Amy Robach]

We're rewatching the series from start to finish and getting into all the fashions, the drama and the behind the scenes moments that you've never heard before.

[TJ Holmes]

But you were still bartending.

[Amy Robach]

I didn't know that. The carpack is like, is that you and I turn around and it's a commercial for Betty. And I was like, I gotta go.

[TJ Holmes]

I quit. Listen to Viva Betty on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up everybody? It's snacks from the trapped nerds. And all October long, we're bringing you the horror. Boogity, boogity, boogity. We kicking off this month with some of my best horror games to keep you terrified. Then we'll be talking about our favorite horror and Halloween and figuring out why black people always die first. And it's the return of Tony's horror show side Quest, written and narrated by yours truly. We'll also be doing a full episode reading with commentary. And we'll cap it off with a horror movie battle royale. Open your free AHA Radio app and search Trap Nerds podcast and listen now.

[Amy Robach]

In early 1988, federal agents raced to track down the gang they suspect of importing millions of dollars worth of heroin into New York from Asia. Had 30 agents ready to go with.

[TJ Holmes]

Shotguns and rifles and you name it.

[Amy Robach]

Five, six white people pushed me in the car. I'm going, what the hell?

[TJ Holmes]

Basically, your stay at home moms were.

[Amy Robach]

Picking up these large amounts of heroin. All you gotta do is receive the package.

[TJ Holmes]

Don't have to open it, just accept it. She was very upset, crying. Once I saw the gun, I tried to take his hand and I saw.

[Amy Robach]

The flash of light. Listen to the Chinatown sting on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or anywhere you get your podcasts. This is an iHeart podcast.