Horror Movie Weekly Ep. 183: The Orphanage (2007)

After a long hiatus, Horror Movie Weekly returns for Episode 183, where Jay of the Dead and Mister Watson reunite to discuss one of the most emotionally devastating supernatural Horror films of the 2000s: The Orphanage (2007). Chosen by Mister Watson, this Spanish-language Gothic ghost story becomes the centerpiece for an unusually heartfelt and deeply personal discussion about grief, sorrow, memory, childhood innocence, and the power of Horror films that linger long after the credits roll. The hosts reflect on their own first experiences seeing the film — including Jay digging his car out of a snowstorm after a late-night screening in Utah and Watson recalling the profound emotional impact the film had on him during a difficult season of life.

Along the way, the boys discuss Guillermo del Toro’s involvement as producer, compare the film to classics like The Changeling and The Others, debate whether the best ghost stories are inherently sorrowful, and even somehow manage to discuss Pig-Headed Horror, Pamela Voorhees, Peter Pan motifs, and whether Spain had Yellow Pages. Plus, as always, we bring you Micro Horror Movie Reviews of It Ends (2025) and Faces in the Crowd (2011). This episode is equal parts spooky, melancholy, thoughtful, and ridiculous — just the way Horror Movie Weekly likes it. Join us!

Note: This episode was recorded on January 8, 2026.

You are welcome to email our show at [email protected]. You can also follow Horror Movie Weekly on X: @horror_weekly.

This weekly Horror movie podcast brings you one recent Horror movie review every Sunday. (As noted previously, we’re defining “recent” as any Horror movie released within the last five years or the current year; so now that it’s 2024, we’ll be covering Horror films from 2019 to the present.) And we always reveal next week’s pick at the end of every show, so you can watch along with us and be prepared for the following episode. Thanks for listening!

SHOW NOTES

– Introduction

Welcome to Horror Movie Weekly, Episode 183
Jay of the Dead and Mister Watson reunite after a long break from recording
Reflections on Horror Movie Weekly’s sparse 2025 output
Discussion about the show’s revised Feature Review selection era: 2005–2015
Jay and Watson reminisce about recent collaborations on Jay of the Dead’s New Horror Movies

Micro Horror Movie Review:

It Ends (2025)
Mister Watson = 7 ( Wait to Stream When Less Expensive )

Premise: A group of recent graduates find themselves trapped on an endless highway surrounded by mysterious horrors and existential dread.

Micro Horror Movie Review:

Faces in the Crowd (2011)
Jay of the Dead = 4 ( Low-priority Rental )

Premise: After surviving a brutal attack by a serial killer, a woman develops prosopagnosia — also known as “face blindness” — leaving her unable to recognize even familiar faces while the killer continues stalking her.

Feature Review: The Orphanage (2007) – Mister Watson’s pick

[ 00:00:00 ] – The Orphanage (2007)

Genre Classification: Supernatural Horror / Gothic Horror / Mystery / Haunted House / Fairy Tale Horror / Children in Peril

Premise:
Laura returns to the seaside orphanage where she was raised, hoping to reopen it as a home for disabled children. But after her young son begins interacting with invisible friends and tragedy strikes the family, Laura becomes entangled in disturbing mysteries tied to the orphanage’s past.

Ratings and Recommendations:
Jay of the Dead = 9 ( Must-See / Buy It! )
Mister Watson = 10 ( Buy It! )
Lil’ Wat = 10 ( Buy it! )

Jay of the Dead’s pick for the next episode:

Episode 184: Dying Breed (2008)

Premise: An Australian Horror film involving the Tasmanian tiger, cannibalism, and the legend of Alexander Pearce.

Wrap-Up:

Special thanks to website developer Jaxon Carroll and graphic designer Trump Widdop for their excellent work in helping Horror Movie Weekly to have a nice, new website. Thank you!

LINKS FOR THIS EPISODE:

Jay of the Dead’s NEW HORROR MOVIES podcast links:
Email: [email protected]
Voicemail: (801) 980-1375
Twitter: @HorrorAvengers
Subscribe via Apple Podcasts
Subscribe via Spotify
Subscribe via Deezer

Links for Mister Watson:
Podcast: Horror Movie Weekly
Twitter: @WatZeeParty
Podcast: The Wat-Zee Party Horror Show
Facebook: The Wat-Zee Party Horror Show / Horror Corridor

Links for Jay of the Dead:
Horror Movie Weekly.com
Considering the Cinema.com
Movie Podcast Weekly.com
HMW Twitter: @horror_weekly
CTC Twitter: @ConsiderCinema

Links for Channy Dreadful:
Check out Channy’s new Instagram: @ChantelSkates
Check out Channy’s TikTok
Channy on Facebook
Twitter: @ChannyDreadful
Jay recommends Channy’s Article on Cujo
Channy on Hereditary with Ron Martin on The Resurrection of Zombie 7 Podcast
Channy Dreadful Archives on The Resurrection of Zombie 7
Instagram: Strawberry Crush Creations