Podcast Summary: Dear Movies, I Love You

Episode: A24 & Midsommar (2019)

Hosts: Millie de Chirico & Casey O’Brien
Date: October 7, 2025

Main Theme & Purpose

In this Halloween kickoff episode, hosts Millie de Chirico and Casey O'Brien dive deep into Ari Aster's folk-horror film Midsommar (2019) and use it as a lens to discuss A24's defining influence on the "elevated horror" genre. The discussion is wrapped in the hosts' signature wit, personal anecdotes, and a thorough examination of both film culture and seasonal obsessions. The episode also reflects on how these modern horror movies compare to horror traditions of the past, including what differentiates "elevated" horror from so-called schlocky or classic horror.

Episode Highlights & Timestamps

Spooky Season & Halloween Traditions

[01:37–11:44]

• Millie and Casey chat about how Halloween has expanded from a single day into a months-long celebration.
• Millie: "My thing is that a couple years ago I purchased a gold skeleton... and the gold skeleton is very sassy. He sits on my bench... just kind of like, what's up to all of the FedEx and UPS drivers." [04:37]
• They reminisce on classic Halloween decor and candy strategies, with Millie voicing her love for mini candy, and Casey admitting "I eat a full candy bar five days a week." [07:00]
• Strong anti-novelty flavor sentiment: "I just stick with the original. You can change the shape, but the inside needs to be old school." – Millie [09:16]
• The "cinnamon broom update": Millie rails against scented broom inflation and the dangers of off-brand, off-flavor brooms: "Do not fuck with any other scents other than cinnamon. I'm serious." [11:32]

Haunted Houses & Halloween Horror Experiences

[13:32–17:46]

• LA's Haunted Hayride and Atlanta Zombie Apocalypse haunt experiences: both hosts recall how haunted attractions blend real-life weirdness with horror theatrics (and sometimes bug bites).
• Casey on the hayride: "One of the people gets in my face and goes, hello, Casey. And then jumps off the Haunted Hayride and runs into the woods. And I was like, did anybody else fucking hear that?" [14:49]
• The importance (and chaos) of having friends in haunted houses: "We would just all scream his name and he was trying to stay in character and we would just be fucking with him the entire time." – Millie [17:20]

Intro to A24 & The Concept of Elevated Horror

[22:52–24:22, 36:02–41:55]

• Midsommar and A24 as touchstones for "elevated horror," a controversial label Millie and Casey find both meaningful and annoying.
• Millie: "We're the first people in cinematic criticism history to discuss A24. To discuss elevated horror. The concept of elevated horror. We're the only people that have done it." [18:13] (sarcastic tone)
• Adjective rapid-fire for A24: "Hip, urban, city folk. Young contemporary, modern, chic, candles, limited edition merch, culty, zeitgeisty." – Millie [36:32]
• "There's sort of a curatorial eye ... not just putting out movies to make money. They're really trying to create a vibe." – Millie [38:01]
• Challenges the term 'elevated horror': "Feels pejorative, feels like it means other horror is dumb." – Millie [39:08]

Personal Film Diary

[24:22–34:08]

• Casey’s picks: Kieslowski’s Decalogue 1 and Jill Sprecher’s Thirteen Conversations About One Thing
• Millie’s watch: Rewatching Paul Thomas Anderson’s The Master in anticipation of his new film, with contemporary reflections on Stanford cults and mid-2010s obsessiveness.
• "Part of the subject material...that I was really amped on is the whole Scientology thing ... that was a huge iceberg, something you just did not want to talk about because you were just afraid." – Millie [31:36]

Main Film Discussion: Midsommar (2019)

[41:55–77:53]

Midsommar Plot Recap

[41:55–43:18]

• Casey: "Danny, played by Florence Pugh, is an American college student who experiences a truly horrific tragedy... and is in a very shitty relationship. Her boyfriend Christian invites her to Sweden with his friends, who are not happy about it, for the Harga midsommar festival... Soon, they learn that the commune’s traditions are a little more ancient and barbaric than expected."

First Impressions & Relationship Horror

[43:19–49:03]

• The real horror: Codependency and bad boyfriends.
• Millie: "It's the horror ... of a relationship where the boyfriend is sort of an unreliable narrator... It's that feeling of, you know, a man basically being like, 'My girlfriend is crazy and I gotta break up with her, but I can't break up with her because she's too fragile.'" [46:00]
• Comparison to Curb Your Enthusiasm and calling out the universal experience of not wanting to dump someone in distress.

At the Commune: Cultural Red Flags & Vibes

[50:18–63:28]

• The warning signs of folk horror: forced mushroom trips, shared sleeping quarters, and cultish community customs.
• Millie: "Word. These, like, stupid idiot dudes that are friends with my boyfriend are, like, making me feel bad for not wanting to do mushrooms after a 15-hour flight. I guess I'm going back to the city and going to a hotel." [53:22]
• On horror logic: "People start disappearing and they don't say bye to their friends... that is a huge, like, a red flag, like being flown off the hillside." – Millie [63:08]
• Casey admits: "If I was a 22-year-old... I feel like I could totally see myself as a young person being like, well, this is their culture and, you know, human sacrifices are kind of a part of it. ... I feel like I would have been killed in this situation." [53:56]

The Rituals: Folk Horror Mechanics, Too Much World-Building?

[63:29–68:18]

• The May Queen, ritual killings, and the rules of the commune.
• Millie calls out the arbitrary folk horror rules: "My investment in what is happening in this community is in direct proportion to how interested I am in this culture... If I feel at all that the rules become stupid and annoying, then I'm out." [61:24]
• The film’s visual iconography: "It is wonderful to see somebody covered in beautiful flowers, but looking like they want to die." – Millie [65:12]

Themes: Trauma, Community, and Humor

[67:05–70:42]

• Casey: "It's about tragedy and trauma … this community…they see her and are willing to and happy to take on and help her remove her trauma, to help her work through it and even take it. … I liked that. I thought that was moving." [67:05]
• They discuss the film's use of nudity, naturalism, and the difference between showing real bodies vs. Hollywood “perfection.”
• Millie: "We carry a lot of wisdom in these saggy tits." [69:24]

After-the-Fact Reactions & Watching Buzzed Films Late

[72:13–74:58]

• Millie wonders if, seeing it years after release, the film was unable to live up to the hype: "I wanted to like it more than I did, I think. I think it had a lot of mystique... maybe I just missed the train on this a little bit." [73:07]
• Casey notes how the context of seeing a movie at the “cultural moment” impacts perceptions (“La La Land” and “CODA” as other examples).

The "Elevated Horror" Genre Divide

[76:03–77:34]

• Casey: "There is a humorlessness to [elevated horror]... They take themselves very seriously, you know." [77:20]
• The duo jokes about what old slasher franchises would look like, A24-style: “What if they made like an atmospheric Chucky movie?” – Millie [77:09]

Notable Quotes

• Millie de Chirico: (on scented brooms) "Do not fuck with any other scents other than cinnamon. I'm serious." [11:32]
• Casey O'Brien: "I'm an eighth Swedish. I'm 12.5% Swedish, so I think I maybe have a little bit more investment in the Swedish culture than others do." [55:16]
• Millie de Chirico: "We carry a lot of wisdom in these saggy tits. It's just the way it is." [69:24]
• Casey O'Brien: "I would never have left because I feel like I could totally see myself as a young person being like, well, this is their culture and, you know, human sacrifices are kind of a part of it." [53:56]
• Millie de Chirico: "If we're grasping at the mere mention of Austin Powers in Midsommar, that means it's not a very funny film." [77:34]

Employee Picks

[78:01–83:28]

• Millie:

  • Manson (1973, doc) – Chilling, rough documentary about the Manson family, made very close to the actual murders, with interviews and an unsettling atmosphere. "It's a good curiosity... Especially if you're interested in the Manson family, but even if not just a historical artifact." [81:48]

• Casey:

  • Lamb (2021, A24) – "It's sort of disturbing and sweet and scary... a really creepy movie. Beautiful, and you should check it out." [82:13]

Episode Tone & Style

• Conversational, sometimes sarcastic (“We’re the first people in cinematic history to talk about A24… the only ones who have done it.”)
• Unpretentious, with a strong undercurrent of nostalgia and pop culture savvy.
• Openly critical when it comes to film trends and fannishness, unafraid of bucking consensus.

For Next Week

• The next episode will cover Jennifer’s Body (2009, dir. Karyn Kusama): "First time watch again for Millie, written by Diablo Cody. I'm curious to see what you think of this one." – Casey [85:08]

Final Thoughts

A lively, critical, and highly relatable Halloween season episode that uses Midsommar as a catalyst for a wide-ranging convo on A24 branding, horror sub-genres, codependent relationships, and what makes a film "elevated." Both hosts provide memorable moments and personal insights, making this a standout for horror fans and cinephiles alike.

Connect:

• Email questions, gripes, and gropes: dearmovies@exactlyrightmedia.com
• Insta: @dearmoviesiloveyou
• Letterboxd: @acleobrien, @mdechirico