Second Breakfast with Cam & Maggie

-- thoughts, theories, and literary analysis -- chapter-by-chapter fantasy discussions

The Conjuring: Last Rites 09/08/2025

The Conjuring: Last Rites The Conjuring: Last Rites is a long goodbye; it presents a medley of curtain calls, family drama, beautiful directing, and uninspired scares. In this episode we examine the final Ed & Lorraine Conjuring movie from three different perspectives: as a character study, as a horror movie, and as the ending of a beloved horror franchise. Our discussion concludes with a reflection on subjectivity, and its centrality to our discussions about art on the show. Plus, Maggie forgets the word “spin-off” about 17 times. LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: /episode/index/show/secondbreakfastpod/id/38122800

The Toxic Avenger 09/05/2025

The Toxic Avenger The Toxic Avenger is unrated, unhinged, and full of heart. In this episode, we’re exploring the explosive color work of unrated horror, Toxie’s fantastic creature design that harkens back to the body horror roots of the genre, the restlessness of successful on-screen comedy, and the film’s folkloric catharsis in the face of cartoonish corruption and cruelty. LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: /episode/index/show/secondbreakfastpod/id/38060145

Faust Fables: The Hell House LLC Sequels 08/29/2025

Faust Fables: The Hell House LLC Sequels Of all the horror franchises, Hell House LLC might have the boldest and most terrifying sequels. In this episode, we’re discussing them all, while tracking the unique ways in which they complicate and deepen the franchise’s ten-year Faustus meditation. LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: /episode/index/show/secondbreakfastpod/id/37940955

Hell House LLC: Lineage 08/25/2025

Hell House LLC: Lineage The fifth and ‘final’ Hell House LLC film is out now in theaters, and causing quite a stir. We both loved this movie, and in this episode we are responding to the four most prominent criticisms that have torn through the fandom. LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: /episode/index/show/secondbreakfastpod/id/37940895

The Poughkeepsie Tapes 08/22/2025

The Poughkeepsie Tapes Like most horror movies, The Poughkeepsie Tapes is a mixed bag — in this case, an uneven combination of mockumentary interviews and shaky found footage scares. But Cam’s got a wild theory that this movie is actually one of the most vicious and biting satires ever made of the true crime industrial complex and its relationship with the horror genre. LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: /episode/index/show/secondbreakfastpod/id/37802560

Jimmy and Stiggs 08/20/2025

Jimmy and Stiggs is what you get when you throw Evil Dead and Saw in a blender, open the top, splatter it all over a laser tag arena, and then shoot the whole thing into space. This is the most gonzo, full throttle, colorful, and splatter crunch crazy movie we have ever covered on the show. It's an absolutely stunning thrill ride, and a genuinely inspiring monument to indie filmmaking. LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: /episode/index/show/secondbreakfastpod/id/37887440

Programming Update 08/19/2025

Programming Update It’s time to do a little check-in about the future of the show. LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: /episode/index/show/secondbreakfastpod/id/37837840

"Long Live" The Black Parade 08/15/2025

"Long Live" The Black Parade In a true ‘bucket list’ moment, we got to see My Chemical Romance perform the entirety of their masterpiece “The Black Parade” album live on stage. For this marathon episode, we’re breaking down all new iconography of the band’s “Draag” era, unearthing some provocative connections to The Black Parade, discussing each and every song in the time-traveling setlist, and reflecting on this transcendent, life-affirming artistic experience. LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: /episode/index/show/secondbreakfastpod/id/37750435

Eddington 08/12/2025

Eddington Eddington is a bold, fascinating, ambitious satire, but it’s also the film that cements certain patterns within Ari Aster’s way of telling stories. In this episode, we’re creating a list of four ironclad ‘rules’ that appear in each of his movies by revisiting Hereditary, Midsommar, and Beau Is Afraid — before finally discussing Eddington. This is a celebration of recurring themes and conceptual escalation across one of the most exciting and restless filmographies of our time. LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: /episode/index/show/secondbreakfastpod/id/37604380

The Summer of Hope 08/08/2025

The Summer of Hope It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s — a sudden influx of life-affirming summer blockbusters? In this episode, we’re taking a look at both Superman and The Fantastic Four: First Steps, to find out why Cam was holding back tears throughout these movies. Topics include: a dozen pointed similarities between these films, our wildly different perspectives & expectations, a bit of backseat editing, comparisons to past inspiring superhero films, the endless importance of romance in storytelling, and a look towards the future of this new trend. LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: /episode/index/show/secondbreakfastpod/id/37614915

The Pitt 08/05/2025

The Pitt The Pitt isn’t just one of the best shows of the last ten years, it is an astonishing work of horror — an urgent, unflinching, life-affirming tapestry of hope, loss, life, and death. In this episode, we’re exploring the story’s central ‘real-time’ conceit from four distinct angles: passing time, compounding time, lost time, and impending time. LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: /episode/index/show/secondbreakfastpod/id/37263165

Second Opinion: Diablo IV [Sins of the Horadrim] 08/01/2025

Second Opinion: Diablo IV [Sins of the Horadrim] When Diablo IV is good, it’s really good. We’ve been dungeon-crawling and monster-slaying nonstop for the last month, and thought it was time to take another look at what we’re affectionately calling “Season of the Dungeon”. Maggie has blasted through the whole campaign with a super-powered Rogue, and Cam is deeper into the endgame than either of us have ever gone before. LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: /episode/index/show/secondbreakfastpod/id/37567750

Oh, Hi! 07/29/2025

Oh, Hi! "Oh, Hi!" is not really an homage to Stephen King's "Misery" - it's a companion piece, that dives much deeper into the insecurities and obsession of its characters. Pointedly, this film is also a funny, aching exploration of the female psyche that somehow remains grounded amidst multiple felonies and attempts at witchcraft. This isn't a horror movie. This isn't a rip-off. It's a rigorous, open-ended character study that embraces the messiest and most absurd parts of human nature. LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: /episode/index/show/secondbreakfastpod/id/37513445

Black Sabbath: A Faust Fable 07/25/2025

Black Sabbath: A Faust Fable We’re celebrating Ozzy Osbourne by doing a close reading of the very first Black Sabbath song — which just so happens to be one of the best “Doctor Faustus” adaptations of the past 400 years. In six minutes and only three verses, Ozzy stages all of the play’s essential events and even manages to capture some of Marlowe’s most daring and subversive subtext. The song also happens to feature the most potent rendition of Hell in any artistic medium, and the best adaptation ever done of Marlowe’s layered, knife-twisting epilogue. LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: /episode/index/show/secondbreakfastpod/id/37534470

The It Duology 07/22/2025

The It Duology The thing you really notice about Pennywise during a rewatch is the startling, impressive amount of DROOL he’s got going on in every scene. In this episode, we’re revisiting both movies (and the book) to discuss the intangible magic of creature design, the original sin of adaptation, and more than anything — the controversial topic of bad endings. LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: /episode/index/show/secondbreakfastpod/id/37050480

Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning 07/18/2025

Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning Imagine if The Lord of The Rings ended with Frodo deciding to keep the Ring for himself — and the film presented that as a happy ending! That’s more or less what happens in the latest Mission: Impossible film. Let’s explore every side of this strange ending, play devil’s advocate, and once again ponder whether or not a bad ending can ruin a great movie. LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: /episode/index/show/secondbreakfastpod/id/37030175

Friday the 13th 07/15/2025

Friday the 13th The original Friday the 13th is not only the blueprint for the slasher genre, it might just be the best execution of that tried and true formula. This episode is a critical reevaluation of the classic film and the massive influence it has had on the genre for more than 45 years. LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: /episode/index/show/secondbreakfastpod/id/37050390

Titane 07/11/2025

Titane This might be the Frenchest movie ever made. To describe it at all is to spoil it, but the thrust of this episode is about Titane’s relationship to one of our favorite melancholy body horror freakouts: Rosemary’s Baby. LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: /episode/index/show/secondbreakfastpod/id/36381735

Diablo IV [Sins of the Horadrim] 07/08/2025

Diablo IV [Sins of the Horadrim] Diablo IV is nothing if not inconsistent, and Season 9 is yet another moment of whiplash for the game. In our State of the Game segment, we discuss seasonal powers, the evolving reliquary system, bugs and crashes, difficulty balancing, the latest gear system, and fun factor. Moving onto the Seasonal Campaign, we celebrate the revitalization of Nightmare Dungeons and a narrative that returns to the lingering threads of the base game. In our Class Update, Cam returns to the Necromancer for a brand new shadow / minion build and finds unexpected build synergies. Finally, we close the discussion with a cautiously hopeful look at Diablo IV’s always uncertain future. LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: /episode/index/show/secondbreakfastpod/id/37286295

F1: The Movie 07/04/2025

F1: The Movie Beneath the roar of the engines, F1 is hiding an intense study of human nature — a pointedly Faustian story of obsession that feels equally cautionary and aspirational. The film asks a simple question about Marlowe’s classic story: how does the infamous ‘bargain’ change Faustus? What does it enable and break within him? Come for the vroom vroom, stay for the rigorous examination of Elizabethan theater! LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: /episode/index/show/secondbreakfastpod/id/37263270

Clown in a Cornfield 07/01/2025

Clown in a Cornfield This goofy, earnest indie horror movie left us with one big question — why isn’t Frendo scary? Our discussion trails through the pantheon of scary clowns and masked killers into the abstract alchemy of creature design. LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: /episode/index/show/secondbreakfastpod/id/36796995

Materialists 06/27/2025

Materialists Materialists is our favorite film of the year, and not just because we love Dakota Johnson. Celine Song has basically created The Jane Austen Singularity, remixing and weaving in the best parts of Pride & Prejudice, Sense & Sensibility, and Emma into a totally fresh modern classic. We laughed, we cried, we theorized — let’s get into it! LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: /episode/index/show/secondbreakfastpod/id/37104410

Excision 06/24/2025

Excision This is a bucket list episode for us, as we finally discuss one of the boldest, gnarliest, most affecting works of female body horror ever made. As a longtime fan, Cam reflects on this film’s formative role in his love of provocative art and the timeless power of a great ending. Maggie analyzes her first viewing of the film and its blisteringly novel representation of female adolescence, with all the attendant horrors and delights. LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: /episode/index/show/secondbreakfastpod/id/37030890

From the World of John Wick: Ballerina 06/20/2025

From the World of John Wick: Ballerina Does a sequel know that it is a sequel? What about a spinoff? How about a successor series? These are the identity crises swirling in the background of the latest delightfully entertaining film "From the World of John Wick: Ballerina" -- let's break it all down! LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: /episode/index/show/secondbreakfastpod/id/37029340

28 Days Later 06/17/2025

28 Days Later Once we escaped the boundless oceans that are Cillian Murphy’s eyes, a few things occurred to us about 28 Days Later — namely, all of the fascinatingly direct plot parallels with The Walking Dead. We also zoom out to analyze the titanic differences in theme and metaphor between fast zombies and slow zombies. LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: /episode/index/show/secondbreakfastpod/id/36796990

The Phoenician Scheme 06/13/2025

The Phoenician Scheme This might be the most fully realized “Faust Fable” we’ve ever discussed on the show. Wes Anderson not only successfully reverses the Faustus / Mephistopheles dynamic, he also inverts the ending and explores the play’s often overlooked supporting cast, implied backstory, and deep sense of yearning. What a picture! LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: /episode/index/show/secondbreakfastpod/id/36901900

Hell House, LLC. [Part Two] 06/11/2025

Hell House, LLC. [Part Two] In a twist that might be even more shocking than this terrifying film, this latest Faust Fable discussion is actually built around one of Maggie’s theories — not Cam’s — as she deep dives into that perennial horror question: why don’t they just run away from the scary monsters? The answer is a wild journey of muffled fragments and out-of-focus breadcrumbs through this found footage Faustian masterpiece! Cam sprinkles in some Macbeth for good measure. All hail found footage! LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: /episode/index/show/secondbreakfastpod/id/36797020

Hell House, LLC. [Part One] 06/10/2025

Hell House, LLC. [Part One] Hell House, LLC. is one of the most terrifying films ever made. We have wanted to discuss it for years now, and that day has finally come. In this first of two breakdown episodes, Cam offers a theory about the painstaking way the film presents all those devastating creature designs to game the audience’s memory and so savagely weaponize the power of suggestion. Maggie sprinkles in some Blair Witch comparisons for good measure. All hail found footage! LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: /episode/index/show/secondbreakfastpod/id/36797010

Dangerous Animals 06/06/2025

Dangerous Animals Dangerous Animals is a summer horror movie with big scary sharks, but we think it has MUCH more in common with our beloved Saw than it does with Jaws. In this episode, we run through the six essential elements that could make Bruce Tucker the next Jigsaw. Happy Summerween! LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: /episode/index/show/secondbreakfastpod/id/36856130

Bring Her Back 06/03/2025

Bring Her Back Bring Her Back builds to an almost unbearable fever pitch that evokes both Jordan Peele and Alfred Hitchcock. This episode chases down those comparisons to explore the film’s fractal, fascinating riffs on the theatrical tradition of “doubling” up actors to play multiple roles within the same production. LINKS: , , , Feedback & Theories: /episode/index/show/secondbreakfastpod/id/36800975

Second Breakfast with Cam & Maggie

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