‘The Conjuring: Last Rites’ Scared the Hell Out of Us and Warmed Our Hearts (Simultaneously)

Summary

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Podcast Summary: ‘The Conjuring: Last Rites’ Scared the Hell Out of Us and Warmed Our Hearts (Simultaneously)

Podcast: Amy Robach & T.J. Holmes Present
Production: iHeartPodcasts
Episode Date: September 5, 2025
Hosts/Speakers: Amy Robach (“Robes”) & T.J. Holmes
Topic: Immediate reactions and review of "The Conjuring: Last Rites," the final film in the Conjuring franchise

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Episode Overview

This special late-night episode features Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes sharing their immediate, impassioned reactions to "The Conjuring: Last Rites," which they attended on its opening night. Claiming it may be the best and most heartfelt in the franchise, the hosts break down why the film works as both a scare-fest and an emotional send-off. They also respond to critical reviews that found the film overly sentimental, defending its choices and urging Conjuring and horror fans alike to experience it for themselves.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Excitement and Immediate Reaction

• Lifelong Fans: Both Robach and Holmes express a longstanding devotion to the Conjuring universe, emphasizing their excitement at seeing the supposed final chapter on opening night ([02:49-03:45]).
• Defying Fatigue: Despite exhaustion from travel and a lack of sleep, “I am wide awake after having seen that delicious movie” (Robach, [03:20]).
• High Praise: “I want to purchase it as soon as I can and watch it many, many, many, many more times” (Robach, [04:14]).

2. Why ‘Last Rites’ Stands Out

• Best in the Franchise? Holmes tentatively places it at the top, surpassing even the original for sheer enjoyment ([04:21]).
• Emotional Resonance: The film stands out for its heart and emotional investment, particularly because the Warrens’ own family is at the center of the haunting ([05:58], [06:58]).
• Chemistry of the Leads: Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga’s performances as Ed and Lorraine Warren receive special attention; their connection is described as “palpable” and “movie magic” ([05:58]).

3. What Makes This a Conjuring Film

• Balance of Scares and Heart: Unlike typical slasher films, the movies are lauded for their lack of gratuitous violence in favor of family storylines and "safe fear"—the thrill of terror experienced in secure surroundings ([07:48]-[10:27]).
  • “I had a joyful experience... it may sound silly being in a horror movie, but I had a joyful experience” (Robach, [09:17]).
• Mastery of Suspense: The film excels at generating dread even without jump scares, making two hours and fifteen minutes fly by ([10:48]-[11:40]).
• Creative Frights: Special mention is made of the film's “creepy child toys” and, notably, the “scariest mirror you’re ever gonna see in your life,” which becomes a major supernatural conduit ([12:21]-[12:39]).

4. Connection to True Stories

• Inspired By Real Events: The movie is based on the notorious Smurl family haunting in Pennsylvania, one of Ed and Lorraine Warren’s case files. Details from the actual claims are included, but the filmmakers “went to town” with theatrical embellishments ([13:19]-[15:29]).
  • “They took some of the stories, some of the accounts, but then they went to town on a lot of other things. Of course they did.” (Robach, [15:20]).

5. Responding to the Critics

• Reading Reviews: Robach and Holmes were surprised and disappointed by several critical reviews describing the film as “sappy,” slow, or lacking effective scares ([07:48]-[08:21], [27:53]-[28:59]).
  • “Did they watch the same movie that we just watched?” (Robach, [07:48]).
• Defending Sentiment: The hosts argue the emotional beats enhance rather than detract from the franchise, giving the final entry its necessary “send-off” feel ([15:43]-[17:43]).
  • “I was there for it all... I actually looked at it as an investment into the emotional story behind the haunting.” (Robach, [15:43])
• Not Just for Horror Buffs: While aimed at horror fans, they assert the film’s lack of overwhelming gore and focus on family makes it accessible for general audiences and horror skeptics ([31:31]-[32:23]).

6. Franchise Legacy & Personal Connection

• Emotional Attachments: The franchise coincides with significant moments in their own lives, adding depth to their investment (Robach’s story of watching the first Conjuring after surgery, [26:07]).
• Theatrical Success: Box office numbers for "Last Rites" suggest another financial high for the genre, with projections of more than $40–80 million globally on opening weekend ([25:06]-[27:15]).
• Final Send-Off: The episode closes with appreciation for the filmmakers and a nod to longtime franchise fans, especially noting the sweet way the film wraps up, with familiar faces and an emotionally satisfying ending ([32:48]-[33:13]).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On their physical reaction:
  “I felt my body was tense the entire time and I felt like I was watching a Fourth of July fireworks finale for 2 hours and 15 minutes.” – Robach ([04:40])

• On critics:
  "Did they watch the same movie that we just watched?... There’s just this euphoria that I get when there is a good horror movie... I had a joyful experience." – Robach ([07:48], [09:17])

• On suspense and safe fear:
  “It’s fear. You feel the fear and the rush of fear and the thrill of it even. But you’re completely safe.” – Robach ([10:27])

• On the central haunted object:
  “This movie also included the scariest mirror you’re ever gonna see in your life... this mirror got physically involved.” – Holmes ([12:21], [13:13])

• On heart in horror:
  “This is probably the one, right, Robes? It has the most heart with horror in the franchise for me.” – Holmes ([05:58])

• On emotional resonance:
  “I was almost in tears and it’s hard to do that in a horror movie. But there was something beautiful about how they wrapped this movie up.” – Holmes ([17:50])

• Final franchise feeling:
  “I felt more in love with you at the end of the movie than I did when we walked into the theater.” – Robach ([18:43])

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Important Timestamps

• [02:49] — Late night, positive energy as they open the review
• [04:14 - 04:40] — Initial glowing impressions, physical/visceral responses
• [05:58 - 06:58] — Discussion of the film's emotional “heart” and central family storyline
• [10:07 - 10:27] — "Safe thrill" phenomenon, watching horror together
• [12:21 - 13:19] — The “scariest mirror” and creative supernatural scares
• [13:19 - 14:40] — Real life inspiration: The Smurl family haunting
• [15:43 - 17:43] — Defense of emotional “sappiness,” the value of downbeats
• [25:06 - 27:15] — Franchise box office legacy, financial performance, and personal stakes
• [27:53 - 29:18] — Confronting negative reviews and critics
• [32:48 - 33:13] — Final notes on the film’s send-off, fan service, and emotional closure

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Overall Tone & Takeaways

• Warm, enthusiastically biased, and personal. Robach and Holmes are clear about their status as fans and the subjectivity of their reactions.
• Emphasis on “safe” horror: The film is recommended even to those who shy away from gore, due to its balance of suspense, emotional connection, and scare-factor.
• Defiant of critics: The hosts wholly reject the notion that the film is “too sappy” or lacks scares, contending that its blend of terror and heart makes it unique and memorable.
• A love letter to genre and fans: As franchise enthusiasts, they consider "Last Rites" an ideal finale and encourage listeners to see it, both to support the filmmakers and to share in the joy (and fear) the series has provided for over a decade.

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In Summary:
Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes present an energized, heartfelt, and spoiler-free gush over "The Conjuring: Last Rites," finding it a near-perfect mix of scares and sentiment. They guide listeners through the experience of the film, why it resonated so deeply with them, and why, despite critical skepticism, it should not be missed by fans or newcomers. The episode serves as both a critical defense and love letter to one of horror’s most successful franchises.

Transcript

[Robes]

This is an I heart podcast. Hi, it's Honey German, and I'm back with season two of my podcast, Gracias. Come again. We got you when it comes to the latest in music and entertainment with interviews with some of your favorite Latin artists and celebrities. You didn't have to audition.

[Honey German]

No, I didn't audition. I haven't auditioned in, like, over 25 years.

[Robes]

Oh, wow.

[Honey German]

That's a real G talk right there. Oh, yeah.

[Robes]

We'll talk about all that's viral and trending with a little bit of Cheeseman and a whole lot of laughs. And of course, the great Bibras you've come to expect. Listen to the new season of Gracias. Come again on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Hi, it's Jim Spegg, host of the psychology of your 20s. This September at the psychology of your 20s, we're breaking down the very interesting ways psychology applies to real life, like why we crave external validation. I find it so interesting that we are so quick to believe others judgments of us and not our own judgment of ourselves. So according to the study, not being liked actually creates similar pain as real life physical pain. Learn more about the psychology of everyday life and of course, your 20s. This September, listen to the psychology of your 20s on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Honey German]

Let's start with a quick puzzle. The answer is Ken Jennings appearance on the puzzler with A.J. jacobs. The question is, what is the most entertaining listening experience in podcast land Jeopardy truthers believe in?

[Robes]

I guess they would be conspiracy theorists.

[Honey German]

That's right.

[Robes]

They give you the answers and you still blew it.

[Honey German]

The Puzzler. Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts.

[Robes]

Or wherever you get your podcasts. Do we really need another podcast with a condescending finance bro trying to tell us how to spend our own money? No, thank you. Instead, check out Brown Ambition.

[Honey German]

Each week, I, your host, Mandy Money gives you real talk, real advice with a heavy of.

[Robes]

I feel useless. Like on Fridays when I take your.

[Honey German]

Questions for the baqa.

[Robes]

Whether you're trying to invest for your future, navigate a toxic workplace, I got you. Listen to Brown ambition on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Hi, I'm Jenica Lopez, and in the new season of the Over Comfort podcast.

[Honey German]

I'm even more honest, more vulnerable, and.

[Robes]

More real than ever.

[Honey German]

Am I ready to enter this new part of my life? Like, am I ready to be in a relationship? Am I ready to have kids and.

[Robes]

To really just devote myself and my.

[Honey German]

Join me for conversations about healing and growth. All from one of my favorite spaces, the kitchen. Listen to the new season of the Overcomer podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple.

[Robes]

Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.

[Honey German]

Hey there folks. It is late on Thursday, September 4th and we wanted to come on because we want to tell you to run. Don't walk to the theater this weekend to see the Conjuring Last Rites. Yes, welcome to this late night edition of Amy and tj. Certainly far past our bedtime, we decided to have a little date night. A little horror movie date night in the middle of the week on a Thursday and we gotta be up in a few hours. Yeah, but this is worth talking about it totally.

[Robes]

And you know what? We are prone to falling asleep sometimes as early as 6pm given our hours. And this week we actually traveled across, I guess the Atlantic Ocean and almost rubbed for a solid 22 hours the night before. Only got five or six hours last night. And yet I am wide awake after having seen that delicious movie.

[Honey German]

This is the fourth in the franchise. We're told it is the final. But the Conjuring is, if you don't know it is the most successful horror movie franchise in history. It is beloved. Love. The two actors Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga who have headed this series are just magic on screen. This was the send off. It opened tonight. We couldn't wait and we were there on night one. Your impression Robes was.

[Robes]

It was amazing. I want to purchase it as soon as I can and watch it many, many many many many more times.

[Honey German]

This is hard to say out loud because we don't want to be a victim of the moment. This might be the best in the franchise and that's hard to say after the original Conjuring did what it did and still means what it means to us. This movie was just a good time start to finish.

[Robes]

I felt like the way I described it. I felt my body was tense the entire time and I felt like I was watching a Fourth of July fireworks finale for 2 hours and 15 minutes. I just loved it. And look, I love the original Conjuring. It has a whole bunch of special meaning meanings for me in so many ways. And encountering two so good. That's probably my next favorite.

[Honey German]

Oh yeah. Infill England. That family, that little girl. Oh yeah.

[Robes]

God I love that one. That it's. And then I love conjuring 3.

[Honey German]

Devil made me do it. I love that one.

[Robes]

And a lot of creation.

[Honey German]

Oh yeah, that's in the franchise as well. Annabelle movies, the nun movies, all of that is in the Conjuring universe. I'm sure everybody listening has seen at least one and probably several of those movies. And the cool thing about them as well, Robes, right. Nobody died in the first Conjuring. Do I have that right?

[Robes]

Right. The whole family actually ended up surviving. Of course, it's based on people who have died before who are haunting them.

[Honey German]

But the point. In so many horror movies, you think it's going to be a bloodbath slasher and there's going to be Nobody died in the first one. And they're not necessarily overwhelmingly violent movies. There is a storyline. There's always heart and family involved. This is probably the one, right? Robes. It has the most heart with horror in the franchise for me.

[Robes]

Yes. A lot of these films are about good versus evil and about facing fears and finding hope and finding love and having that fright actually bring you closer together. And this one had so much heart because it is the final movie that we will see that powerhouse couple. I mean, Patrick Wilson and Vera Formiga are just magic. Movie magic. Their chemistry is palpable. They talk about how they're such good friends off camera, and it makes so much sense because those two steal the show every single time. But they had. It had extra heart. And it. Look, if you don't love the movie, you might find it sappy. If you don't love the franchise, you might think it's corny. When you're invested in this franchise the way so many horror movie fans are and certainly how we are, I loved every second of it. I loved being invested emotionally in the family that they were helping and in their family.

[Honey German]

I think that's where the heart comes in. A little extra in this one is because Ed and Lorraine, the central characters, their own family finds itself in the middle of the demonic happenings, if you will, and the demon comes after their family. So it puts them dead center in that regard. And, you know, having their daughter, this became a family affair at the end. Again, ropes. I really. We. We are hot out of the theater right now. And, you know, we came in here very excited and our energy was up. We couldn't wait to hit record and start talking. But then we got a little thrown off and a little annoyed because we went and read some reviews. Right, Google some reviews and we'll give you all the details in a second. But generally speaking, the reason we both just said what the. We almost got pissed at some of the review headlines.

[Robes]

Yeah, I was like, did they watch the same movie that we just watched? And look, I love that we didn't read the reviews beforehand because most of the time we do. And you go in with a certain level of expectation. Correct. And that can be helpful or hurtful. I'm so happy that we had no idea that so many critics did not feel the same way we did watching that movie. But you know what? To each their own. Our experience was incredible and to the point where I want to see if I could go see it again tomorrow, I would.

[Honey German]

And there are folks, Rogue at the beginning. I like this setup. At the beginning of the movie. We're not gonna give it. There will be no spoiler. Let's just said that at the beginning. There will be no spoilers here. But at the beginning of the movie, it took a few minutes, like a little bit before we saw Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga. There was a scene showing them in their younger years and they had younger actors playing that role, so we didn't see them for a bit. There are some actors and sometimes you don't even know their names. There was just a peace, a joy that came over me to see them show up on screen, like, ah, I'm in good hands. And so when we. This for us and horror movie fans and the conjuring fans, we love everything they do and we love these two characters. We almost took it personally to see somebody bashing this movie, right?

[Robes]

I thought to myself, how dare you?

[Honey German]

Yeah, that's what it was.

[Robes]

That was. That was movie magic. That was genius. The writing, the acting, the jump scares. I thought, they're talking, we'll. We'll get into the reviews. But I just couldn't disagree with them more. And I just had such a. This may sounds silly being in a horror movie, but I had a joyful experience. I've always described my experience with horror movies as safe fear, in a sense that you get the adrenaline rush and the thrill of feeling scared, but knowing you're perfectly safe. And there's just this euphoria that I get when there is a good horror movie. When they get me, when. I mean, you saw me jump several times.

[Honey German]

You know what you. I've seen, okay, God, 100 horror movies with you. You were jumpier on this one than I'm used to. And there are times I was grabbing you and pulling your hand, like, don't do that. Don't.

[Robes]

Don't cover your eyes because I kind of. Well, I'm not fully covering my eyes, but when I know something's gonna happen. I just feel safer if I put my hands and look through my fingers and then. And you're like, stop. And you're trying to pull my hands. And I was like, no, I feel unsafe right now.

[Honey German]

But that's the thing you do, you. You feel like you're. You always say it that way. Unsafe. What do you call it? Feel. It's safe thrill.

[Robes]

Like safe danger. Like it's fear. You feel the fear and the rush of fear and the. And the thrill of it even. But you're completely safe.

[Honey German]

There were some scenes in the big guy with the axe. That guy is terrifying. And you do. I felt like I was in danger, but I knew I wasn't going to be harmed. There's a weird thing in a movie theater. Maybe we're. Certain people don't they say are wired to like horror movies?

[Robes]

Yes.

[Honey German]

Some are not. Yes, this is one I would recommend if you. You think there's going to be a lot of gore and whatnot. It's not overwhelming with that. But this has thrills that keep you on the edge of your seat and scare the hell out of you without even a jump scare. There are scenes that are just of dread, but nobody jumps, nothing happens, no monster comes out. But the anticipation of it. And you see something in the shadow in the background. This movie mastered, I'm telling you, two hours and 15 minutes flew by by and almost all of it, you were tense and that makes a fun. There were times where we were all scared to death and I had the biggest smile on my face in the theater. It's a blast.

[Robes]

It was a blast. I loved it from start to finish. And yes, I'm always amazed at their ability to create scarier and scarier demons. But I thought they did such a good job of making being creative with a scary demon and making it so creepy. I didn't want to see there are multiple demons in this one or multiple ghosts or hauntings within this house. But I was, I was like, please don't show that one again. And I love that they always give a nod to child toys. Dolls. There's always like something super creepy about some child toy that is familiar to all of us. Dolls that walk and talk. Oh, I love it.

[Honey German]

There were two in this one that certainly had their moments and you cannot miss it. This movie also included the scariest mirror you're ever gonna see in your life. This thing was. It's a floor mirror, floor length mirror. And it, it was the central antagonist, wouldn't you say?

[Robes]

Yes, it was. It was the conduit Right. For the demons or the demon. But I. Look, if you're a horror movie fan, you know, mirrors are never a good thing. That is where you see the ghosts, where you see yourself turn into a demon. That's where mirrors are not good. You know, think about all the scenes in horror movies and they, they mess with you sometimes when someone is looking in the medicine cabinet and then they close it. They close it. Is there going to be a demon behind them? Candyman. I mean, mirrors are always a huge part of horror movies. But it was just so brilliant, brilliantly used in this one.

[Honey German]

And this one wasn't just the reflection. Like this mirror got physically involved.

[Robes]

Oh, it did at times.

[Honey German]

It is fan freaking tastic now a little bit. This is based on a true story. So these, most of these conjuring movies are based on files from Ed and Lorraine Warren, who are considered pioneers in paranormal investigation. Some call them just charlatan snake oil salesmen out there, but they are credited with bringing certainly paranormal activity and paranormal investigation into the mainstream. So this is based on one of the cases, a family in western Pittston, Pennsylvania moving to this house. It was 83. What year?

[Robes]

Well, they moved in 73. But they called the Warrens in 1986. And they claimed from 1973 up until the Warrens came, they were constantly abused by demons, ghosts in their home, terrorized.

[Honey German]

And, and as their story goes, at least didn't the dad even said he was sexually assaulted by. Yes, a demon in the house. So this was going on with his family. They, to try to get help, actually called the media in. And so they became kind of a media. It was a media frenzy at their house. And this was one of the later cases for Ed and Lorraine, their last, they say mid-80s. So at that time there's a lot more documentation, if you will, of this particular case because of the media. So you can Google this one and find out a whole lot of information that this was a true story.

[Robes]

So it's based on a true story. And the film, the film's writers and directors who've been doing media tours, when people start asking questions about how much creative license they took, they said, yeah, we took a lot of theatrical choices because this isn't a documentary, this is a movie. So they have the basis of the story and then they fill in the fun parts with the family dynamics and what could have been going on in the home. They did have some of the. They actually recreated some of the incidents that the family had described at the time. Like they say the Demon threw their daughter down the stairs. You see that? They threw the dog against the wall. And you actually see that in the movie, too. So they did.

[Honey German]

Shame what they did to that dog.

[Robes]

Yeah, he's okay. He was okay in the end. But the point being is they took some of the stories, some of the accounts, but then they went to town on a lot of other things. Of course they did.

[Honey German]

Then there was the Smurl family with their name. So it's based on this true story. Is there something you can point out that you didn't like robes that you said, I wish they hadn't done that. Or just something you were a little lukewarm on?

[Robes]

Hey, you know what? I'm sorry. I know some of the criticism is about the sappier moments. And they did have several of them from the birth of their daughter Judy to Judy getting engaged to Judy's wedding. There was some barbecues and some family moments and some poignant mother to daughters. But guess what? I was there for it all. And I can see why people might criticize that as. Come on, stop it. I don't stop it with the sappy stuff. I just want to be scared. But I actually looked at it as an investment into the. The emotional story behind the haunting. And I loved it. I was there for it. So, yeah. Is there anything I didn't like?

[Honey German]

I'm trying to think to what you're saying there. I appreciated the breaks sometime where they. Okay, they made me laugh, they made me smile. And Patrick Wilson had several good lines in there with the dynamic with the. His daughter, his boyfriend. So I appreciated the little breaks. And I like. You could let your shoulders down for a second. But it didn't last long.

[Robes]

No, it didn't. I just thought they were so good at sprinkling in scary moments, creepy moments where you're anticipating things, and then you still had loving moments and joyful moments all in between. So, no, I actually don't think I have a criticism. And the one thing I thought I might have when I went into it was that it was going to be too long because we're used to hour and a half, hour and 40 minutes. And especially later at night when we've been working all day and all week, I thought this might be a little too long and this might drag on. I couldn't believe 2 hours and 13 minutes had passed.

[Honey German]

So the horror movies don't last as long. You can't keep somebody's attention for that long. How many scares can you conjure up, if you will? But so Many of the scenes and the jump scares that did pay off started with a simple something a lamp comes on. What's the little carousel was going. The little doll is doing. The automated doll doing something. They just built it up and up and up and up. And sometimes it did end with a jump scare and sometimes it didn't. But when it didn't, you were still tense. It paid off. Yes, this movie was fantastic.

[Robes]

I think I burned a lot of calories during this movie because I, because I was like on the edge of my seat, literally.

[Honey German]

And the one thing we do want, you folks out there who are conjuring franchise fans, they do us right in the end. The end of this movie. Robes might have gotten to a point I was almost in tears and it's hard to do that in a horror movie. But there was something beautiful about how they wrapped this movie up. They gave a nod to all of us fans. They gave a nod by putting in a couple familiar faces from previous movies. But they. It was just sweet. It was so sweet until I turned to you and said, man, well, I talked about our future. I may. I'm really, I'm walking out of a horror movie feeling sentimental and that absolutely happens. And certainly for you conjuring franchise fans, they're going to do it for us in the end.

[Robes]

Yeah, it was amazing. No, I know. I felt the same way. I felt more in love with you at the end of the movie than I did when we walked into the theater.

[Honey German]

I know this sounds crazy to you all, but if you see the end of this movie and certainly you conjuring franchise fans, you will get it. I did mention you all that we were on a high when we walked into the house. Then we saw some of the reviews and how they bad mouth on our franchise and this movie and our mood change. We'll tell you what others say is the problem with this movie. Stay here.

[Robes]

The US Open is here. And on my podcast Good Game with Sarah Spain, I'm breaking down the players from rising stars to legends chasing history. The predictions will we see a first time winner and the pressure. Billie Jean King says pressure is a privilege. You know, plus the stories and events off the court. And of course the Honey deuces, the signature cocktail of the U.S. open. The U.S. open has gotten to be a very fancy, wonderfully experiential sporting event. I mean listen, the whole aim is to be accessible and inclusive for all tennis fans whether you play tennis or not. Tennis is full of compelling stories of late. Have you heard about icon Venus Williams recent Wildcard Bids or the young Canadian Victoria Mboko making a name for herself? How about Naomi Osaka getting back to form? To hear this and more, listen to Good Game with Sarah Spain, an iHeart women's sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts presented by Capital One, founding partner of iHeart Women's sports culture Eats Strategy.

[Honey German]

For breakfast, I would love for you to share your breakdown on pivoting.

[Robes]

We feel sometimes like we're leaving a part of us behind when we enter a new space, but we're just building.

[Honey German]

On a recent episode of Culture Raises Us, I was joined by Valisha Butterfield, media founder, political strategist and tech powerhouse for a powerful conversation on storytelling impact and the intersections of culture and leadership. I am a free Black woman who.

[Robes]

Worked really hard to be able to say that.

[Honey German]

I'd love for you to break down why it was so important for you to do seed.

[Robes]

You can't win at something you didn't create.

[Honey German]

From the Obama White House to Google to the Grammys, Malicious Journey is a masterclass in shifting culture and using your voice to spark change.

[Robes]

A very fake capital driven environment and society will have a lot of people tell half truths.

[Honey German]

I'm telling you, I'm on the energy committee. Like if the energy's not right, we're not doing it, whatever that it is. Listen to Culture Raises us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Robes]

Your entire identity has been fabricated. Your beloved brother goes missing without a trace. You discover the depths of your mother's illness, the way it has echoed and reverberated throughout your life, impacting your very legacy. Hi, I'm Danny Shapiro and these are just a few of the profound and powerful stories I'll be mining on our 12th season of Family Secrets. With over 37 million downloads, we continue to be moved and inspired by our guests and their courageously told stories. I can't wait to share 10 powerful new episodes with you. Stories of tangled up identities, concealed truths.

[Honey German]

And the way in which family secrets.

[Robes]

Almost always need to be told. I hope you'll join me and my extraordinary guests for this new season of Family Secrets.

[Honey German]

Listen to Family Secrets Season 12 on.

[Robes]

The iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, I'm Jenica Lopez and in the new season of the Overcomer podcast, I'm taking you on an exciting journey of self reflection.

[Honey German]

Am I ready to enter this new part of my life. Like, am I ready to be in a relationship?

[Robes]

Am I ready to have kids and.

[Honey German]

To really just devote myself and my time?

[Robes]

I wanted to be successful on my own, not just because of who my mom is. Like, I felt like I needed to be better or work twice as hard as she did.

[Honey German]

Join me for conversations about healing and growth. Life is freaking hard, and growth doesn't happen in comfort. It happens in motion, even when you're hurting. All from one of my favorite spaces, the kitchen. Honestly, these are going to come out so freaking amazing. Be a part of my new chapter.

[Robes]

And listen to the new season of.

[Honey German]

The Overcome for podcast as part of the Michael Tura Podcast Network on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast. I had this, like, overwhelming sensation that I had to call her right then and I just hit call, said, you know, hey, I'm Jacob Schick. I'm the CEO of One Tribe foundation. And I just wanted to go on and let her know there's a lot of people battling some of the very same things you're battling and there is help out there. The Good Stuff Podcast season two takes.

[Robes]

A deep look into One Tribe Foundation.

[Honey German]

A nonprofit fighting suicide in the veteran community. September is National Suicide Prevention Month, so join hosts Jacob and Ashley Schick as they bring you to the front lines of One Tribe's mission.

[Robes]

I was married to a combat army veteran and he actually took his own life to suicide. One Tribe saved my life twice.

[Honey German]

There's a lot of love that flows through this place and it's sincere now.

[Robes]

It's a personal mission. Don't have to go to any more funerals.

[Honey German]

You know, I got blown up on a react mission. I ended up having amputation below the knee of my right leg and a traumatic brain injury because I landed on my head.

[Robes]

Welcome to season two of the Good Stuff.

[Honey German]

Listen to the Good Stuff podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. All right, folks, we are continuing now the most successful movie franchise, horror movie franchise in history, the Conjuring franchise. Wrapping up at least the Conjuring series, the final movie in the Conjuring franchise, the Last Rites, opening this weekend, tonight, Thursday, opening night. Robes and I, as horror movie fans that we are, we could not wait. We had to go see it tonight. So we're coming in on a high, coming in hot, recording late tonight. And Robes, I say, is the most successful in horror movie history. It's made somewhere around two and a half billion Dollars as a franchise. And so far, so good. Even though it's opening night, this one is anticipated to have a good weekend.

[Robes]

That's right. So some of the early numbers are already coming in from tonight. So tonight was the first night you could see it. In certain cities, it's called previews because technically tomorrow, Friday, September 5th, is opening day. But there are already projections that it's going to make as much as potentially 8 million just on Thursday. And the showings didn't start until 3pm and again, they were few and far between. We saw the first one here that we saw in New York City. And so they believe that that could set a preview record for the Conjuring franchise. So that's remarkable. And they believe this is going to put the movie on track to. To be making 40 million plus. Some people are saying 80 million globally, even Monday, Friday into Monday for this film. So it's expected to handily be number one at the box office and maybe even set its own record.

[Honey German]

Those are huge numbers for a whole horror movie. That's huge. And the reach, I mean, this friend, William 24, when was the first one?

[Robes]

2013. I know this because I came home from the hospital after my double mastectomy and it had just started streaming. And my brother surprised me that night to hang with me and be there with me. And we sat down and we watched the Conjuring for the first time together. The night I came home, I was still bandaged up and it was like my first moment of joy again. Sounds funny when you're thinking about a horror movie. But the Conjuring holds such a special place in my heart because it really brought me my first laugh, my first bit of joy, my first moment to escape everything that was happening to me. And I remember joking, saying, hey, things could be worse. At least I'm not demonically possessed.

[Honey German]

I still not sure about that. On some days, baby.

[Robes]

I set you right up for that.

[Honey German]

God, that was easy.

[Robes]

You're welcome.

[Honey German]

You know, even as late at night with little sleep, I can still pick him up when he toss them down. What was it? How much they're expected to make this weekend?

[Robes]

Anywhere between it's 40 million they say, plus deep into the 40 million mark, they believe for the weekend and then globally, maybe as much as 80 million plus.

[Honey German]

So numbers like that, we try to put in some kind of context. Remember, what would most people say the biggest horror movie of the year was? You might say center.

[Robes]

Yeah, right.

[Honey German]

Sinners. That one did 60 million globally in the opening weekend. I think 48 domestically. So when you compare something that we saw as a wild success.

[Robes]

Yeah.

[Honey German]

This year again, and this is just. Horror movies don't do this. Horror movies just don't do these types of numbers. This is fantastic. And we were, we were running. We couldn't wait to get to these microphones and start talking. But you had to go look up reviews, didn't you, Robes?

[Robes]

I did. And you know what? I really hope that these don't discourage anyone from going to see this movie. And maybe I will say this. I have read a poor review of a movie gone in anyway with a low expectation and been blown away at how good it actually was. So this is obviously all subjective, but yes, I can read a few headlines. New York Times, the Conjuring Last rights review, a disappointing sendoff. The AP wasn't as bad. The Conjuring Last Rites ends the franchise with a mix of scares and sentiment. I do think that that makes a lot of sense. But the Conjuring Last rights review too. Too po faced. This is the Scotsman. So I don't know if that's a Scott thing to say, but it didn't sound good. You know, it's, it's. I think people, from what I read, again, the criticism was that the jump scares were lame, which totally disagree. And that the sentiment was just too much. It was too sappy. They didn't like it. They didn't like. And they thought it was too slow of a start.

[Honey German]

Again, to each his own. That's fair, right? To each his or her own. We just couldn't disagree in more certain terms with that because this will. And we consider ourselves, quite frankly, we're not. We don't study film.

[Robes]

No.

[Honey German]

We weren't trained in school for what to look for and cinematic brilliance. All we are is viewers. All we are two people who love horror movies. We have seen enough horror movies that I would put our expertise up against the whole.

[Robes]

I actually would too.

[Honey German]

We are kind of qualified for this to a certain degree.

[Robes]

How many times would you say we have watched just the original Conjuring?

[Honey German]

Oh Christ, don't sail. A hundred times.

[Robes]

Exactly. I mean that might sound weird to some people, but dozens and dozens of.

[Honey German]

Times it stays on. Sometimes we. We take a moment because I think when the girls were at the house this summer, it happened a few times where they're sleeping in another room. You and I are working in the front. It's 3, 4, 5am dark outside. And all you hear on the TV, ah, you hear screen women screaming because they're being chased by a killer in the woods. Because we have a horror movie on in the background as we're working at 3, 4 in the morning. That's what we do. That's bizarre. But we love horror. What was the last movie we went to in the theater? You know what? Out of a year, if we go to 15 movies, how many of them are non horror movies? Out of 10, we see maybe one. We only went to theaters to see horror movies.

[Robes]

We just get super excited about them because of all the things we mentioned and when we see a good one, I feel like we know one at least. I just, I would just urge anybody if you even. And I like what you said because the Conjuring series, when people say, well, I don't really like gore and I then watch the Conjuring because it really is not about the gore, it isn't about torture. But if you are really, really scared. I used to always joke because I love supernatural ones the most because they're the scariest. Because there's no lock for the devil. You know, you can't lock your doors, you can't set your alarm. Not gonna help. You can't even call in a priest. I was like, you can't, you can't even call the Catholic like the Vatican. You still might be in trouble. So I have always appreciated the supernatural ones because they're just creepy and scary. And believe me, I have regretted my love of horror movies. When I'm alone in a hotel room, I feel like that is when I get scared the most. I'm like, why? Why do I watch these things?

[Honey German]

Why?

[Robes]

And then I finally fall asleep and can't wait for the next horror movie.

[Honey German]

You all. But I guess what three categories of folks on this one. Look, if you're a horror movie fan, a horror movie buff, you're gonna go see this anyway. But if you are, this is a must see. If you're not a horror movie fan at all. Like Rogue just said, this is one that you should consider to take in because short of I can remember one scene that might qualify as gory, but that was, that was a demon on demon crime.

[Robes]

So it's not as bad.

[Honey German]

And the other category of folks are just kind of on the fence. You're just kind of on the fence. Ah, you're. It is worth it. It is worth it to every category. No matter if you love hate horror movies are on the fence about them. This is worth the time. Absolutely.

[Robes]

And you know what I wanted to wrap with. I just actually saw a really positive review headline that I think would sum up exactly how we felt about the movie. The Conjuring Last Rights Review Michael Chaves balances genuinely terrifying moments with heart in a successful send off for the Warrens. That is exactly what I would have said as well.

[Honey German]

This was masterfully done. Thank you for this. As fans, we say thank you for what you all did to give the right kind of send off. Sweetheart, that scene at the end when we saw those familiar faces, I loved it. We both looked at each other and we just, we had all the feels.

[Robes]

We'll just say there's a wedding and there are some very special familiar guests if you're a fan of the franchise.

[Honey German]

Well, folks, we hopped on late night. We might not make this a habit, but this was fun when there's something to talk about. So please go see it, support them because we love it and we want everybody to love horror movies. So for now, I guess we're gonna be working here in a few hours.

[Robes]

We need to go to bed, babe.

[Honey German]

All right, folks, we're headed to Bay. See y' all for the morning ride. Foreign.

[Robes]

Do we really need another podcast with a condescending finance bro trying to.

[Honey German]

Tell us how to spend our own money? No, thank you. Instead, check out Brown Ambition. Each week I your host Mandy Money gives you real talk, real advice with a heavy dose of I feel useless.

[Robes]

Like on Fridays when I take your.

[Honey German]

Questions for the baqa.

[Robes]

Whether you're trying to invest for your future, navigate a toxic workplace, I got you. Listen to Brown ambition on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast or wherever you get your podcast.

[Honey German]

What would you do if one bad decision forced you to choose between a maximum security prison or the most brutal boot camp designed to be hell on Earth? Unfortunately for Mark Lombardo, this was the choice he faced. He said, you are a number, a New York state number and we own you. Listen to shock incarceration on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Robes]

It's important that we just reassure people.

[Honey German]

That they're not alone and there is help out there. The Good Stuff Podcast Season two takes a deep look into One Tribe Foundation, a non profit fighting suicide in the veteran community. September is National Suicide Prevention Month, so join hosts Jacob and Ashley Schick as.

[Robes]

They bring you to the front lines.

[Honey German]

Of One Tribe Mission.

[Robes]

One Tribe saved my life twice. Welcome to season two of the Good Stuff.

[Honey German]

Listen to the Good Stuff podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.

[Robes]

Every case that is a cold case that has DNA right now in a backlog will be identified in our lifetime. On the new podcast America's Crime Lab. Every case has a story to tell and the DNA holds the truth.

[Honey German]

He never thought he was going to.

[Robes]

Get caught and I just looked at my computer screen, I was just like, ah, gotcha. This technology's already solving so many cases. Listen to America's Crime Lab on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, it's Gemma Spagh, host of the Psychology of youf 20s. This September at the Psychology of youf 20s, we're breaking down the very interesting ways psychology applies to real life, like why we crave external validation. I find it so interesting that we are so quick to believe others judgments of us and not our own judgment of our so according to the study, not being liked actually creates similar pain levels as real life physical pain. To learn more about the psychology of everyday life and of course your twenties. This September, listen to the psychology of your twenties on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an iHeart podcast.