Deep Cuts Horror Hit List # 5 “The Descent”

Summary

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

Episode: Deep Cuts Horror Hit List #5 “The Descent”
Date: October 27, 2025
Hosts: Amy Robach & T.J. Holmes
Podcast Network: iHeartPodcasts

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Overview

In this top five installment of their Halloween Horror Hit List, Amy Robach and TJ Holmes dive deep—literally and figuratively—into Neil Marshall’s 2006 film The Descent. The hosts discuss what makes this British cave-horror film stand out nearly 20 years after its release, why it’s essential horror watching, and who should (and shouldn’t) dare to see it. The conversation is energetic, personal, and full of mutual enthusiasm, offering both thoughtful critique and entertaining anecdotes.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Why The Descent Made the List

• Personal Connection: Amy and TJ bonded early in their friendship over a shared love for The Descent.
  • “When we discussed our shared love of this film. Yes, we knew we had a kindred spirit, at least.” (03:32 – Amy Robach)
• Film Basics:
  • Hour and 39 minutes, rated R, “horror, mystery, thriller, adventure” (04:31 – TJ Holmes).
  • Stars: Shauna Macdonald, Natalie Mendoza, Alex Reed, Saskia Mulder, Nora Jane Noone.
  • British indie production, set in North Carolina but made by Brits, director Neil Marshall.
  • Box office success: $57 million worldwide on less than $10 million budget.
• Plot Synopsis:
  • Sarah joins friends for a cave expedition after tragedy. They become trapped underground, discovering cave paintings, evidence of prior explorers, and finally, terrifying predators.

Standout Elements of The Descent

• Atmosphere and Claustrophobia:
  • The film excels in creating tension and claustrophobia before monsters ever appear.
  • “If monsters never showed up, this was a horror movie on its own.” (12:40 – TJ Holmes)
  • “Can you imagine racing against time, against batteries?” (13:31 – Amy Robach)
• All-Female Cast:
  • The unique dynamic and strong performances are repeatedly praised.
  • “The cast is… their dynamic is pretty cool. So good.” (07:43 – Amy Robach)
• Psychological Depth:
  • There’s underlying tension and interpersonal conflict, not just creature feature scares.
  • “They were fighting each other, they're fighting to stay alive, and they're fighting to get the hell out of there.” (10:06 – TJ Holmes)
• Delayed Monster Reveal:
  • Hosts emphasize the horror is built on psychological stress and group dynamics as much as from the monsters.
  • “You don't even see a creature... for the first half of the movie. Didn't we clock that?” (09:15 – Amy Robach)

Critical & Audience Reception

• Rotten Tomatoes Scores: 87% critics, 76% audience (06:34 – Amy Robach)
• Quotable Critic Reviews:
  • “Brutal, bloody and brilliantly entertaining.” (08:19 – TJ Holmes)
  • “You will feel like you have descended to the pits of hell.” (08:19 – Amy Robach)
  • “Mindless, tense fright fest” (09:04 – TJ Holmes), which Amy pushes back against for missing the story’s depth.
  • “No one really enjoys nausea. But for those of you who brag that a horror movie is so scary that it made me sick, here is the Descent.” (10:33 – Amy Robach)
• Memorable Audience Feedback:
  • “Claustrophobically terrifying. One of the best horror movies ever made.”
  • “I am now officially scared of the dark... I knew I regretted watching this.” (12:12 – Amy Robach)

The Gore & The Scares

• Intensity:
  • This is not one for faint-of-heart or those who dislike gore.
  • “All the weapons are sharp, all the deaths are brutal. The injuries are even... tough.” (23:50 – TJ Holmes & Amy Robach)
  • “This to me is stuff of nightmares.” (23:55 – Amy Robach)
• Survival Elements:
  • “If you love survival adventure-type horror movies, that's got that element to it as well. A race against time, a race against creatures and a race against just even your own conditions.” (23:07 – Amy Robach)
• Creature Design:
  • Unique, effective, and not overly fantastical. “It’s exactly what you think subterranean cave dwelling, flesh eating things would... half human what they would look like.” (22:50 – Amy Robach)

Fun, Anecdotes, and Viewing Advice

• Watching Alone or Together:
  • Amy watched it solo on maternity leave—regrets her choice!
  • “It is better to watch with someone. Oh, yeah, absolutely.” (24:48 – Amy Robach)
• Best Atmosphere:
  • Must be watched “in the dark,” with lights off for full effect. (22:50 – TJ Holmes)
• Snacks to Pair (or Avoid):
  • “Medium rare filet mignon is not something to pair with this movie. It was a big mistake.” (25:46 – Amy Robach)

Where to Watch

• Available on Amazon Prime, and The Descent 2 is there as well for a back-to-back double feature. (26:00 – Amy Robach)

Bonus Recommendation

• Both hosts advocate for seeing The Descent 2, considering it a worthy sequel and “twofer” (08:03 – TJ Holmes).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Watching While Claustrophobic:
  • “Look, I'm claustrophobic, I have to say. Heights don't bother me. But... the idea of having to go into a submarine scares the bejesus out of me.” (06:34 – Amy Robach)
• The Core Horror:
  • “You find yourself breathing hard watching this. It was a horror movie before the creatures.” (12:40 – TJ Holmes)
• On Creature Reveal:
  • “You're scared for them just being trapped, let alone having a sub species of humans down there attacking them. That doesn't even come to later.” (09:28 – Amy Robach)
• On Audience Impact:
  • “This is the only movie that made me so uncomfortable with the claustrophobic scenes near the beginning that I seriously wanted to leave the theater.” (12:12 – Amy Robach)
• On Who Should Avoid:
  • “This to me is stuff of nightmares. Like the creatures... can haunt you. This could keep you up at night.” (23:55 – Amy Robach)
  • “If you don't want to be too scared, this isn't. It's intense and it's scary.” (24:26 – Amy Robach)

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Segment Timestamps

• 03:32 — Early friendship and love for The Descent
• 04:51 — Plot synopsis and film basics
• 06:34 — Claustrophobia and Rotten Tomatoes scores
• 08:03 — Recommendation to watch both The Descent and its sequel
• 09:15 — Delayed monster reveal and psychological horror
• 12:12 — Audience reactions and walking out of the theater
• 13:31 — Race against time and battery-powered anxiety
• 20:18 — Recap of The Descent’s place on the hit list and its strengths
• 22:24 — For creature-feature and monster-movie fans
• 23:07 — Survival-horror elements
• 23:55 — Warnings for young or squeamish viewers
• 24:48 — Best way to watch & what snacks (not) to eat
• 26:00 — Streaming availability
• 26:40 — Tease for next episode: a PG-13 horror sleeper starring Justin Long

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Conclusion

Amy and TJ’s enthusiasm for The Descent is infectious, making a compelling case for why it’s a nearly perfect horror film—intense, claustrophobic, gory, but anchored with psychological realism and emotional stakes. Their mix of analysis and personal anecdotes offers practical advice for new viewers: watch it in the dark, probably not alone, keep the snacks light, and prepare for a wild ride—and maybe skip that rare steak.

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Next Up:
A PG-13 surprise horror hit starring their favorite Justin Long—stay tuned for episode #4 in the countdown!

Transcript

[Amy Robach]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[TJ Holmes]

Hey, audiobook lovers.

[Amy Robach]

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[TJ Holmes]

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[Amy Robach]

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[TJ Holmes]

On America's number one podcast network, iHeart.

[Amy Robach]

Follow Earsay and start listening on the free iHeartradio app. Today, a GLP1 helped you lose weight, but now you're noticing unwanted facial changes.

[TJ Holmes]

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[Amy Robach]

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[TJ Holmes]

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[Amy Robach]

To learn more, visit faceafterweightloss. That's face after weight loss dot com. 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 Podcasts. I turned off news altogether. I hate to say it, but I don't trust much of anything. It's the rage bait. It feels like it's trying to divide people.

[TJ Holmes]

We got clear facts.

[Amy Robach]

Maybe we could calm down a little.

[TJ Holmes]

NBC News brings you clear reporting. Let's meet at the Facts. Let's move forward from there. NBC News reporting for America, Sami Gente.

[Amy Robach]

It's Ana Ortiz. And I'm Markin Delicato. You might know us as Hilda and Justin from Ugly Betty. Welcome to our new podcast, Viva Becky.

[TJ Holmes]

Yay.

[Amy Robach]

We're rewatching the series from start to finish and talking to iconic guests like Betty herself, America Ferreira. There was this moment when the glasses went on and it was like, this is our Betty. Listen to Viva Betty on the iHeartRadio.

[TJ Holmes]

App, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey there everybody. It is Monday, October 27th. We have made to our top five in our horror movie hit list. The top five movies that we love that we think maybe a lot of people have not Heard of. And number five on our list is not for you if you are claustrophobic. And with that, welcome to this episode of Amy and TJ Robes. This was one where I knew you were a real one.

[Amy Robach]

When we discussed our shared love of this film. Yes, we knew we had a kindred spirit, at least. Yes, it was. It was actually towards the beginning of our friendship that we both realized that we loved the Descent.

[TJ Holmes]

This is a fantastic movie. I think a lot of people do. This isn't too much of an underground. It's a cult. I see what you did there now, but it's. It's not really. This is a. This is a mainstream hit, isn't it?

[Amy Robach]

I think it is now. I think now that we have streaming services and you can watch movies that maybe fell under the radar before. This wasn't a movie that I knew of anyone going to the theaters to go see, but I actually believe this was the summer of 2006. I'm trying to think if I. How I saw this either on a DVD.

[TJ Holmes]

What were you doing in 2006?

[Amy Robach]

2006, I was given. I was giving birth to Annelise is what I was doing.

[TJ Holmes]

I was moving to Atlanta, so.

[Amy Robach]

That's so funny.

[TJ Holmes]

Wow. So wow. Anyway, summer of 2006, folks, is when the Descent, our number five movie, came out. The Descent. Yes. It's an hour and 39 minutes long, rated R. It is classified these ways. Horror, mystery and thriller. Adventure. Adventure, that is for sure.

[Amy Robach]

That's right. So here is the synopsis for the Descent. A year after a severe emotional trauma, Sarah goes to North Carolina to spend some time exploring caves with her friends. After descending underground, the women find strange cave paintings and evidence of an earlier expedition. They then learn they are not alone underground. Predators inhabit the crevasses and they have a taste for human flesh. It actually did really well in the box office.

[TJ Holmes]

I did. I didn't remember it having a box.

[Amy Robach]

Office run, but yeah, I think I literally was on maternity leave when this was out. So I'm thinking that somehow maybe I got to see it as soon as it hit a streaming service. Back then I had some time on my hands. So I remember watching it by myself, perhaps like middle of the night feeding. But it made 26 million domestically, 31 internationally. So 57 million total. That's great. With the budget less than 10 million.

[TJ Holmes]

Yeah. And it's a good looking movie. You just said you watched it alone. That is not something we're going to be recommending. This cast includes Shauna McDonald, Natalie Mendoza, Alex Reed, Saskia Mulder, Nora Jane Noon. I didn't recognize a lot of the faces in the movie.

[Amy Robach]

It was a British indie flick, was it not? Yes, it was set in North Carolina, but I do believe there was. I believe there were British makers. That was what I recall.

[TJ Holmes]

Yeah. And the lead was. I think she's Scottish. And so. Yes, it certainly. I forgot it was in North Carolina because everybody has an accent and it seems. Yeah, so you're right. The director here is Neil Marshall. Now we always love to say, don't take our word for it. Rotten Tomatoes scores for the critics and robes. The audience seem to like it.

[Amy Robach]

Yes, 87% for the critics and the audience, 76% maybe just because it's a little gory, a little gross, a little scary. Look, I'm claustrophobic, I have to say. Heights don't bother me. But you like to me, worst case scenario would be trapped in a submarine or something. I would lose my mind. Like the idea of having to go into a submarine scares the bejesus out of me. And so the reason why I was able to watch this movie alone though, by the way, is because I have zero plans on caving anytime soon. So I felt like, you know what? I can watch this and be totally creeped out and still feel safe in my living room nursing a little baby. It was a sweet moment.

[TJ Holmes]

Two things. One, you knew you were never going to go into a cave and get trapped. Correct. And two, and if there are these creatures down there, you're never going to go find out anything. Correct. All good. Very good way of putting it. The critic consensus put it this way. Deft direction and strong performances from its all female cast guide the Descent, a riveting, claustrophobic horror film. The. The cast is their, their dynamic is pretty cool.

[Amy Robach]

So good. And in fact look and we, I think you and I, when we first realized we shared a love of this movie, when we both said and the Descent 2 is just as good. Now the critics don't give it the same reviews, I believe, but I thought it was such a good. It picked up where this one leaves off. So if you love this movie, please, please check out the part two basically.

[TJ Holmes]

So we can give you. Yeah, we're, we're giving you a twofer on this one. The Descent and the Descent to is worth seeing as well. Now some critic reviews I, I included a lot. Now blaze through them because I think you'll relate to a lot of them in their shorts. Some of the critic reviews and it's brutal, bloody and Brilliantly entertaining.

[Amy Robach]

Yes. Correct.

[TJ Holmes]

All right. You will feel like you have descended to the pits of hell.

[Amy Robach]

It is true. You feel like you are right there with them. I mean, you do. Like, you. I. My. My blood would, like, like, actually chill when I saw what they saw. Like your heart actually stops with them. You feel like you are in these caves with these women.

[TJ Holmes]

You know, I didn't think about it this way. So much of it. They had to be up close. Even the fights and the this and that. Nothing is happening from a distance in this movie. Another one. Often terrifying, often brilliant. Another one saying parents would be best to protect their children from the consequent psychological trauma of letting them see this.

[Amy Robach]

Honestly. Yes. To think that there are creatures like that living beneath you is really freaky. Like super duper freaky.

[TJ Holmes]

Here is one for you that was negative. A mindless, mindless, tense fright fest.

[Amy Robach]

A mindless, tense fright fest.

[TJ Holmes]

Yes.

[Amy Robach]

Mindless. I mean, I don't know. I think there was a lot of mind games going on. There were the. What I liked about this movie is, yes, you're dealing with this creature, but you don't even see a creature. By the way, for the first half of the movie. Didn't we clock that?

[TJ Holmes]

And at least an hour.

[Amy Robach]

Because it's terrifying. First of all, just being beneath the surface like that. They're going into uncharted territory. They didn't realize they were getting into this. At least some of the women in the. The characters did not know they were putting themselves in this pioneering position. But you're scared for them just being trapped, let alone having a sub species of humans down there attacking them. That doesn't even come to later. But there are also tensions within the group because there was a tragedy to begin with. There was some husband, Sharon, I think, that was going on.

[TJ Holmes]

So I actually.

[Amy Robach]

To say it's mindless makes no sense to me. There were a lot of other plots going on that made it really interesting.

[TJ Holmes]

They're fighting each other. They're fighting to stay alive, and they're fighting to get the hell out of there.

[Amy Robach]

Right.

[TJ Holmes]

Mindless. I find sometimes. We've talked about this on some of the episodes, if not. You and I have talked about it. I sometimes see the higher the rating, like the dumber the negative rating.

[Amy Robach]

They're trying to find a way.

[TJ Holmes]

Yeah. To be contrary. They don't necessarily take on. I didn't like this acting or this writing. It was just. I don't understand why anybody even liked this. It's just mindless. Huh?

[Amy Robach]

What? That's A. That's a mindless comment. I like this critic review. No one really enjoys nausea. But for those of you who brag that a horror movie is so scary that it made me sick, here is the Descent. Hey, grownups. Only Gore Fest. That is bound to have you cringing and jumping out of your seat at least once.

[TJ Holmes]

Well said.

[Amy Robach]

I like that a lot.

[TJ Holmes]

Gore Fest is correct. I. This is one. You know what? There are some that seem gratuitous or go on a little long. This for the sake of the Aesa. There is a nature to these creatures that has to coincide with how they go about feeding and fighting and killing.

[Amy Robach]

There's a savageness to it and they.

[TJ Holmes]

Capture that in the dark. Now, the Descent is so expertly made that it more than holds its own as a full throttle horror flick. Yes. It's the director's decision to provide it with a psychological bent that puts it firmly over the top.

[Amy Robach]

Exactly. Exactly.

[TJ Holmes]

He toys with our mind. This whole movie, you are rooting for.

[Amy Robach]

These women to get out of there and to get away from these things. Like so. You're so invested in them escaping. You are so into it and on the edge of your seat the entire time.

[TJ Holmes]

From the sample audience. Now. I didn't even. I've never used this word before. Claustrophobically terrifying. One of the best horror movies and ever made. Another saying that the scent is a thrilling surprise from start to finish. Here is my favorite though. Robes. I am now officially Scared of the Dark. It starts off with a bang with the two deaths. And immediately I knew I regretted watching this.

[Amy Robach]

They gave it five stars in parentheses. Gave it five stars. But you're like anyone who loves horror movies. Totally gets that. Yes. This. This is truly one of the creepiest movies you will ever see. Fantastic. All female cast. A terrific storyline and so atmospheric and terrifying scenes. I love this. This is the only movie that made me so uncomfortable with the claustrophobic scenes near the beginning that I seriously wanted to leave the theater.

[TJ Holmes]

Yeah.

[Amy Robach]

And that's a good review.

[TJ Holmes]

I think that is the. If we're recommending this movie, we say why this one made our list. And I think this is one of the reasons for me. Robes is that if monsters never showed up, this was a horror movie on its own. There are scenes and where they're stuck and a couple of women start panicking because they think they're. They won't be able to get out that you are breathing. You find yourself breathing hard watching this. It was a horror movie.

[Amy Robach]

Yes. Before the creatures.

[TJ Holmes]

Yes. And even the dread of their they say that at one point I think they said they were a mile or something underground. So there's no light and so there's dread from the jump. As soon as their batteries go out on their lights, it's gonna be pitch black. Even the idea of that, can you.

[Amy Robach]

Imagine racing against time, against batteries?

[TJ Holmes]

Even that added to this being a.

[Amy Robach]

Horror movie, it is, I mean it is so scary from start to finish. It is a wild ride. So when we come back we're gonna tell you yes, we'll get into the specifics of why it made our list, who it's for, who it's not for, what to pair it with and where to watch it. Plus of course we will tease ahead to our number four on the list. We are in our top five people. There's nothing like sinking into luxury. At washablesofas.com, you'll find the Annabe sofa which combines ultimate comfort and design at an affordable price. And get this, it's the only sofa that's fully machine washable from top to bottom. Starting at only $699. The stain resistant performance fabric slipcovers and cloud like frame duvet can go straight into your wash. Perfect for anyone with kids, pets or anyone who loves an easy to clean spotless sofa. With a modular design and changeable slipcovers, you can customize your sofa to fit any space and style. Whether you need a single chair, loveseat or a luxuriously large sectional, Annabe has you covered. Visit washablesofas.com to upgrade your home. Right now you can shop up to 60% off store wide with a 30 day money back guarantee. Shop [e-mail] Add a little to your life. Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply. All I know is what I've been told and that to have truth is a whole lot. 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. I'm telling you, we know Quincy killed her. 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.

[Amy Robach]

Did not kill her or rape or.

[TJ Holmes]

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. 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. Damie Gente. It's Ana Ortiz. And I'm Mark and Delicato. You might know us as Hilda and Justin from Ugly Betty. We played mother and son on the show, but in real life, we're best friends. And I'm all grown up now. Welcome to our new podcast, Viva Betty.

[TJ Holmes]

Yay.

[Amy Robach]

Can you believe it has been almost 20 years? That's not even possible. Well, you're the only one that looks that much different. I look exactly the same. 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. You're gonna hear from guests like America Ferreira, Vanessa Williams, Michael Urie, Becky Newton, Tony Plana, and so many more icons. Each and every one, all of a sudden, like, someone, like, comes running up to me and it's Salma Hayek. And she's like, you are my Ugly Betty. And I was like, what is she even talking about? Listen to Viva Betty. As part of the My Cultura podcast network, available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Eva Longoria. And I'm Maite Gomez Rejohn. And on our podcast, Hungry for History, we mix two of our favorite things. Food and history. Ancient Athenians used to scratch names onto oyster shells and they called these ostrakon to vote politicians into exile. So our word ostracize is related to the word oyster.

[TJ Holmes]

No way.

[Amy Robach]

Bring back the ostracon. And because we've got a very mi casa es su casa kind of vibe on our show, friends always stop by. Pretty much every entry into this side of the planet was through the El Golf of Mexico. No, the America. No, the America. El Golfo de Mexico continuing forever and ever. It blows me away how progressive Mexico was in this moment. They had land reform, they had labor rights, they had education rights. Mustard seeds were so valuable to the ancient Egyptians that they used to place them in their tombs for the afterlife. Listen to Hungry for History as part of the My Cultura Podcast network, available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[TJ Holmes]

Michael Lewis here. My book the Big Short tells the story of the buildup and birth 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 Audiobooks or wherever audiobooks are sold.

[Amy Robach]

We continue our conversation on the Descent. It is number five on our Halloween horror hit list and it has been one of our favorite horror movies for almost 20 years now. And we hope it will soon be one of your favorites as well. It is terrifying. It has all the elements of being stuck somewhere, claustrophobic. You're doing, you're underground, you're fighting within your own factions. And now you've got these flesh eating, subhuman subterranean creatures after you. It's so scary and it's so good. And the critics and the audience finally actually agree with us. It doesn't always happen. But this is one of those where there seems to be an absolute consensus why it made our list. Well, we bonded over it, so it had to be on the list. It's one of our favorite, first horror movie conversations we ever had. And it's, it's so intense. I think that was like, it's heart pounding. It never lets up. And you are, you are on a ride and you're like, you're on this fast moving train and you can't get off it.

[TJ Holmes]

Yeah. And again, when there's a horror movie, there's a formula to where if you don't see the monster, the bad guy, you're not supposed to be scared. This is a movie where you are terrified before a monster ever shows up. And they were able to create this tension in this, this. I don't know, just the lighting and the setting and everything about it. They. They created an environment. This is an experience of a movie.

[Amy Robach]

Yes, yes, I totally agree with that. And the acting is incredible from people who you don't even know. So just really phenomenal acting. Really good. I was going to say storytelling but I wasn't a horror telling. But it's kind of both horror storytelling. Who's this for? If you love a monster and there are certain, we've talked about in this list lots of different sub genres of horror movies. But I love a creature film and this is an unexpected one. Not one you've seen before.

[TJ Holmes]

Yes.

[Amy Robach]

And not one really I've seen since. I think they're so good at just giving you glimpses of these things and you're waiting for it and you don't you. And they're. Oh, but the way they did it, it's so realistic looking. It's not over the top. It actually is exactly what you think subterranean cave dwelling, flesh eating things would like half human what they would look like.

[TJ Holmes]

This is one we have to say here. You have to, have to, have to watch this in the dark. It needs to be pitch black in the room because so much of this. Yes, they're in caves. There's. It's very low lighting and a lot of these fights and a lot of stuff happens pretty quickly in very low lighting.

[Amy Robach]

Yes, yes. And also if you love like survival adventure type of horror movies, this is. That's got that element to it as well. A race against time, a race against creatures and a race against just even your own conditions, like trying to get out of something. It's. Oh, it's so good. Now who is it? Not for. This is. It gets pretty gory.

[TJ Holmes]

Yeah, it's not over the top. It's what it should be. I. Yeah, I don't think it's gratuitous for what this is. But yeah, there are some. I guess there's some. A lot of the sound is disturbing as well. And all these fights and there are some. All the weapons are sharp, all the deaths are brutal. The injuries are even.

[Amy Robach]

There are some injuries. There's at least one I'm remembering. That's really tough.

[TJ Holmes]

That's a little uncomfortable.

[Amy Robach]

Really tough. And I do think what one of the critics said about not letting your kids watch this. This to me is stuff of nightmares. Like the creatures like. No, but when you see their Faces, it can haunt you. This could keep you up at night. And certainly if you're young and just seeing their faces. I again, was not scared because I just was able to rationalize it and say, I'm not in a cave. These aren't things that are walking around New York City.

[TJ Holmes]

So I'm kind of, okay, well, the L train. You sing that thing.

[Amy Robach]

No, it is Halloween. Like, we could see some of that. But yes, if you don't like gore, if you don't like anything that's. I mean, honestly, if you don't want to be too scared, this isn't. It's intense and it's scary. So you have to want both of those things. The intensity and the fear.

[TJ Holmes]

There are no breaks in this movie. Once they go in that cave, you just sit up. It's going to be a ride until the absolute very end.

[Amy Robach]

Yeah. And so in terms of what to pair it with. So you think you should have to watch this? It is better to watch with someone. Oh, yeah, absolutely. I watched this. I remember when I was on maternity leave, I watched this and I watched the Exorcism of Emily Rose and both of those for very different reasons. Literally, I regretted it. I was. I was in the woods by myself with my baby and I think my mom. It was like all girls. Like, it was literally an all female cast in the house. It was really dumb. But so, yeah, you should probably watch this with somebody. I would say that would be fun. And yes. In the pitch black, in the dark, at night. And look, I don't know. I think it's so intense. I wouldn't eat a lot like popcorn. Keep it simple. Popcorn. I was like, this is like the acid inducing type of movie. So you want to keep those things just to a minimum. So salty snacks. That's what I would say.

[TJ Holmes]

Can I tell folks what not to eat?

[Amy Robach]

Yes.

[TJ Holmes]

Why in God's name were we having medium rare filet while watching this the other night?

[Amy Robach]

Terrible. We even said we have to admit what we were watching when we re. What we were eating while we were rewatching it. And yes, medium rare filet mignon is not something to pair with this movie. It was a big mistake.

[TJ Holmes]

Steak is steak.

[Amy Robach]

I totally forgot about that. I don't really think you should probably eat medium rare steak with just about every single horror movie period. You should just go ahead and do that ahead of time and then keep to the light snack. Yes. All right, where to watch this? This is on Amazon prime, if you've got a subscription. And. But we found it pretty easy to find. And then the descent 2 is also there as well I believe. So you can just do one and then number two right afterwards. All right, next up, our number four this week. How would you describe this one? How would you tease this? This is another one of our all time favorites that we both bonded over as well.

[TJ Holmes]

Yes, this is a sleeper and a shocker that it's in our for a number of reasons. Reasons including it's PG13.

[Amy Robach]

We were shocked we you said this to me yesterday. Can you believe this robes? Two of our top five are PG13, something that you avoid at all costs and we had no idea.

[TJ Holmes]

But it does include perhaps our favorite horror movie actor of all time, Mr. Justin Long. So looking forward to telling you about number four tomorrow. But for now folks, we always appreciate you hanging with us. I hope you've got some good out of these horror movies, but we got some doozies for you this week. But always appreciate you listening. For now, I'm TJ Holmes alongside Amy Robach. We'll talk to y' all soon.

[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 radio wherever you get your podcasts and to binge the entire season ad free. Subscribe to Lava for Good plus on Apple Podcasts. It's Anna Ortiz and I'm Mark and Delicato. You might know us as Hilda and Justin from Ugly Betty. Welcome to our new podcast, Viva Betty. We're rewatching the series from start to finish and talking to iconic guests like Betty herself, America Ferreira. There was this moment when the glasses went on and it was like this is our Betty. Listen to Viva Betty on the iHeartRadio.

[TJ Holmes]

App, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Michael Lewis here. My best selling book the Big Short tells the story of the buildup and birth of the US housing market back in 2008. A decade ago, the Big Short was made into an Academy Award winning movie and now I'm bringing it to you for the first time as an audiobook narrated by yours truly. The Big Short story. What it means to bet against the market and who really pays for an unchecked financial system is as relevant today as it's ever been. Get the Big Short now at Pushkin fm Audiobooks or wherever audiobooks are sold.

[Amy Robach]

I'm Eva Longoria. And I'm Maite Gomez Rajan. And this week on our podcast Hungry for History, we talk oysters. Plus the Miami Chief stops by. If you are not an oyster lover.

[TJ Holmes]

Don'T even talk to me.

[Amy Robach]

Ancient Athenians used to scratch names onto oyster shells to vote politicians into exile. So our word ostracize is related to the word oyster.

[TJ Holmes]

No way.

[Amy Robach]

Bring back the ostracon. Listen to Hungry for history on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, I'm Nora Jones and I love playing music with people so much that my podcast called Playing along is Back. I sit down with musicians from all musical styles to play songs together in an intimate setting. Over the past two seasons, I've had special guests like Dave Grohl, Levy, Rufus Wainwright, Mavis Staples. Really too many to name. And there's still so much more to come in this new season. Listen to Norah Jones is playing along on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an iHeart podcast.