With Special Guest: Nashville Comedian Nick Galuzzo

For our Thanksgiving episode, we decided to really set the mood… with one of the bleakest, most soul-shredding thrillers ever made. Nothing says “pass the stuffing” like Denis Villeneuve’s Prisoners — a movie that starts on Thanksgiving and then immediately descends into pure moral chaos.

Kyle, Seth, and Nashville comedian Nick Goulooze break down everything this film does to you emotionally — the raw performances, the brutal moral questions, the lighting choices, the behind-the-scenes production history, the alternate casting that almost happened, and the reason this film still scars first-time viewers.

We get into Hugh Jackman’s most feral performance, Jake Gyllenhaal’s twitch-coded detective work, Paul Dano’s unsettling fragility, and why Villeneuve’s commitment to natural lighting and unrelenting dread makes this one of the greatest thrillers of the last decade.

This one’s loaded — heavy themes, gut-punch storytelling, hysterical side-tangents, and a breakdown of why this film technically qualifies as a “Thanksgiving movie.” Enjoy your turkey… and your existential crisis.

In this Thanksgiving special, we dive headfirst into Denis Villeneuve’s Prisoners — the movie that tests your moral compass from frame one. We break down Jackman’s terrifying dad-rage, Gyllenhaal’s career-level performance, Paul Dano’s traumatized innocence, and the way Villeneuve weaponizes natural lighting to make every scene feel cold, damp, and hopeless.

We also walk through the wild production history, the nightmare alternate castings, and the six-year development hell that somehow produced a modern classic.

• Why Prisoners is both a thriller and a full-blown morality test
• How Denis Villeneuve uses subtle visual cues and “theater of the mind”
• The whistle as the best callback ending of Villeneuve’s career
• How the film keeps you in the “moral driver’s seat” the entire time

0:00 — Thanksgiving intro + rusty after a break

3:00 — Why Prisoners scars you

7:00 — Acting breakdown: Jackman, Gyllenhaal, Dano

12:00 — Villeneuve’s natural lighting mastery

16:00 — Production hell + insane alternate castings

22:00 — The NC-17 version that almost happened

27:00 — Keller Dover: Hero or villain?

33:00 — The whistle ending and why it works

38:00 — Law Abiding Citizen vs Prisoners

44:00 — Trauma, rage, and parental panic

52:00 — Comedy tangents and Paul Dano appreciation

• 1:02:00 — Final thoughts + scorecard (War Zone)

This week on Movie Wars, we’re diving deep into Prey — the surprise Predator prequel that dared to strip the franchise down to its primal roots. We break down why this one hit so differently: from its raw depiction of Comanche culture and authentic casting to the jaw-dropping cinematography that turned blood and wilderness into visual poetry.

Kyle, Seth, and comedian Peter Murphy (yes, that Peter Murphy) debate whether Prey actually out-hunts the 1987 classic — and the answers get heated. We talk creature-feature psychology, the decline of movie stars, the “masculine myth” of 80s action, and why representation done right feels so good on screen.

Expect plenty of film nerd tangents, behind-the-scenes trivia, and the usual Movie Wars blend of humor and obsession — from callbacks to Predator 2’s gun Easter egg, to the wild story of how Prey secretly began as an “R-rated Disney princess film.”

Stick around for the War Card, where we go rapid-fire on cast, writing, direction, and the all-important “Would Arnold approve?” question.

Takeaways:

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• The most authentic and daring entry in the Predator series yet.
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• Deep dive into representation, casting, and language in Native storytelling.
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• Hot debate: Prey vs. the 1987 original — which really hunts harder?
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• Film lighting, creature effects, and where the franchise should go next (Samurai era?).
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• Peter Murphy brings the chaos, the laughs, and a few questionable bear facts.
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Tags:

movie wars podcast, prey movie review, predator franchise, amber midthunder, native american representation, action movie analysis, film trivia, comedy podcast, arnold schwarzenegger, creature features, 80s action nostalgia, filmmaking craft, modern vs. classic cinema, cinematic storytelling, comedic debates

The season finale dives into one of the most haunting indie horror films of the 2010s — The Babadook. We unpack how Jennifer Kent’s small, scrappy production turned a simple monster story into a psychological gut-punch about grief, trauma, and the brutal realities of parenting.

We get real about why this movie hits so hard emotionally, why Essie Davis delivers a powerhouse performance, and how a film made for just $2M became a cultural lightning rod. Plus: jump scares, stress scares, and why sometimes the scariest thing isn’t the monster — it’s the mirror.

This episode has everything: film history, behind-the-scenes “randos,” rapid-fire War Zone categories, and a big season-ending announcement.

• The Babadook as a metaphor for unresolved grief and single parenthood.
• Why Essie Davis’ performance is one of the best in modern horror.
• How Jennifer Kent turned a short film into a cult classic with a $2M budget.
• The moment Guillermo del Toro “spilled his popcorn” — and why minimal monster = max terror.
• How the film’s restrained production style makes it unforgettable.

• 🎬 Film: The Babadook (2014)
• 👩 Director: Jennifer Kent
• 🌍 Country: Australia
• 💰 Budget: $2M | Box Office: $10.8M
• 🕰 Runtime: 94 minutes
• 👑 Notable: Stephen King and William Friedkin called it one of the scariest films of the 21st century.
• 🧟 Fun Fact: The Babadook pop-up book sold 6,200 copies and goes for $500+ on eBay today.

This isn’t just a horror movie — it’s a brutal, beautiful portrait of grief, isolation, and the monsters we feed in the dark. If you’ve ever loved or lost, The Babadook will crawl under your skin and stay there.

• 🎧 Stick around to the end for our big season finale announcement — and maybe a few bad Australian accent attempts.